DAYS NUMBERED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25625, 28 August 1944, Page 5

DAYS NUMBERED

WEHRMACHT IN BALKANS CALL TO SURRENDER (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 27. The Cairo radio reports that a British officer, broadcasting in German last night, called on German troops in the Balkans to surrender, claiming that the days of the Wehrmacht throughout the Balkans were now numbered. “ Sofia is awaiting the Allied reply before concluding the armistice,” said the officer. “A new crisis has broken out in Hungary, and Rumania is warring against you. Use commonsense and lay down your arms before the Balkan people let loose their combined wrath against you. The Russians, with Rumanian help, will cut through your positions like better. An unprecedented air offensive will smash you to pieces unless you surrender at once.”

The Germans to-day, after a mass bombardment by Stukas, attempted to capture Baneasa airfield, near Bucharest. stated Bucharest radio to-night. It added that Royal Guards repelled all attacks. The Germans suffered heavy losses. Bucharest itself has been bombed.

German strongpoints throughout the country are giving in. Whole groups of Germans are laying down their arms and surrendering to the Rumanians. Escorted Allied heavies on Saturday operated in support of the Rumanians defending Bucharest against German attacks; reports a Rome correspondent. Fighters swept the area around the capital. The Moscow" radio says that the German mission and other Germans in Bucharest have been interned. •

The Germans shelled the city with anti-aircraft guns for lack of other artillery. Military installations are being built in Transylvania by Germans and Hungarians. Rumanians are blocking the approaches to the Carpathians, where the Germans are trying to retreat westwards.

Bucharest radio made the following statement to-night: “On the basis of the King’s proclamation, the new Government informed the German Legation and the German Army Command

in Rumania that our country desired to liquidate in good understanding her relations with Germany, and that the Rumanian Army, while determined to defend itself, would not undertake any .hostile act against Germany. The Rumanian Government declared that it would allow the orderly withdrawal of German troops which were ready voluntarily to leave the country. “After assurances as solemn as they were perfidious to the effect that hostile acts would not be undertaken against our troops, the German Command ordered German units to attack and try to disarm Rumanian units. They even machine-gunned the peaceful population of villages and of Bucharest. The German Air Force simultaneously in strength bombed the capital and other towns, destroying non-military objectives and aiming particularly at the Royal Palace and inflicting numerous casualties on the •civilian population. Germany thus placed herself in a state of war with Rumania. The Government, therefore, orders the army to begin the struggle against all German military forces in Rumania for the liberation of the country from German occupation and usurpation.’’ Dr Maniu, in a statement after the proclamation, declared that Rumania had sacrificed over 600,000 men for the sake of German interests. The German Foreign Office spokesman announced a reshuffle of the Rungarian Government. According to the German News Agency, the spokesman said: “ This had become necessary after the developments in Southeastern Europe. It is only one of various measures which had to be taken." \ He added that no details of the reshuffle were yet available.