GERMANS HARD PRESSED

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15441, 31 August 1943, Page 4

GERMANS HARD PRESSED

WILL ATTEMPT TO SPLIT ALLIES (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Aug. 27. “The Germans ar© hard pressed on tlie three main fronts in Russia, but there was a time when they thought their blitzkrieg methods would win them a quick victory,” s iid the British Minister of Information (Mr Brendan Bracken) in New York today, explaining one of the war’s most intriguing mysteries, namely the arrival of Hitler's lieutenant, Hess, in England in 1941. Mr Bracken told reporters that Hess had really believed he would find Quislings so. anxious for peace that they would push out the Gox rernment, leaving Hitler free to attack Russia. Hess expected that when he gave us the glittering secret of the attack on Russia, Mr Churchill would be forced out. Hess was a Nazi of very low mentality, continued Mr Bracken. He just babbled like the usual Nazi stooge, highly excited and altogether foolish, and not a. grain of sense could be got out of him. The Duke of Hamilton, a gallant young airman, was completely dazed when Hess landed on liis estate, said Mr Bracken.

Mr Bracken issued a warning that Hitler still h,ad a formidable army in Russia. He believed that Hitler knew lie could not win the war militarily, but he hoped to sow' disunion among the United Nations and thus escape by political means the consequences of Ills brutal aggression. Mr Bracken added that he was confident that a Thiee-Power Conference, including Russia, would be arranged. Mr Bracken evpressed the opinion that Hitler knows that from a military point of view he cannot win the war but politically lie was a man of great cunning. He probably felt that hr could divide the United Nations through political action and escape the consequences. Asked if he was optimistic regarding the possibilities of a conference ■between Britain, America and Russia, Mr Bracken replied in the affirmative. Asked about a second fix?nt, Mr Bracken said. “We are anxious to take the strain off Russia as quickly as possible. We realise the vast sacrifices the Russians have mad© and we think that at almost any cost we must do our best to take the load off the Russians’ shoulders.”