THE WAR NEWS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4232, 17 January 1940, Page 7

THE WAR NEWS

SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION. MENACE TO HOLLAND AND BELGIUM. Events have moved fast and ominously since Sunday’s announcements that Holland had cancelled army leave and that additional defence measures had been taken in Belgium. Leave has also been canceleld for the time being in the British Expeditionary Force, and all indications in the past 24 hours point to a state of general preparedness for a new military • move by the Nazis. This is the second occasion on which the Dutch and Belgians have stood to arms. The first was early in when German troop movements in the western border lands caused acute nervousness. Whatever diplomatic move Hitler planned at that *time, he was forestalled by the Belgo-Dutch mediation offer. After a week of uncertainty it was announced in Berlin that no military action was intended. The present situation is a great deal more menacing, if only because* the winter is now far advanced. If Germany actually intends to strike a blow at the Allies by violating Dutch or Belgian neutrality, the spring is the period in which the attempt is likely to be made. The new crisis has arisen from the petty German allegation that a Dutch aeroplane flew over Reich territory. This is denied by the Dutch authorities, who complain that, on the contrary, German machines of late have flown frequently over Holland. Other sinister elements in the situation are a renewal of Nazi press attacks on Holland, and fresh reports of German troop concentrations near the Dutch frontier. It is believed that five divisions, equipped with swamp tractors, are in the Cleve area, and that the frontier town of Gnonau, some 30 miles further north, “is packed with troops.” Tho latest radio reports view the outlook calmly. It is emphasised that the Belgian Government has deprecated alarmist rumours and that German semi-official assurances to neutrals are being offered. The greatest uneasiness appears to be in Rome, where, according to the New York Times, the Italian Foreign Ministry is in a ferment. Another ominous series of reports is to hand from Scandinavia. Foreign aeroplanes, believed to have been Russian, have bombed the small Swedish island of Kallax, near the head of the Gulf of Bothnia. It is revealed by Moscow radio that the Soviet has sent notes to Norway and Sweden accusing them of breaking their neutrality by sending arms and volunteers to Finland. Norway has denied that she is assisting Finland. Sweden’s reply argues that the nation is simply maintaining trade relations with the Finns. Russian military pressure on Finland is increasing. A large scale engagement is reported to be developing on the Salla front, and there is bitter fighting north of Lake Ladoga, where two Red divisions are attacking. In the far north (Petsamo) the invaders are again thrusting with 20,000 and 30 tanks. The Finns are standing firm on all fronts. The Mannerheim Line is intact, though its defenders have suffered heavy losses from shell fire. Activity is increasing in Finnish coastal waters. Russian ships have been bombed by Finnish aircraft, and a Finnish escort vessel sunk by a Russian submarine. The causes that led to the retirement from the British Cabinet of Mr Hore-Belisha are still exciting curiosity at Home and it was expected that Mr Hore-Belisha’s statement in the House of Commons this week would be an important one, as showing divergence of views among Cabinet Ministers as to the best course to pursue to win the war, but no direct reference was made to the matter when he spoke yesterday. Britain reserves her full belligerent rights in what the Pan-American Republics last month claimed to be a neutral zone extending for a depth of 300 miles all round the coast of North, Central and South America. Britain says she must be assured that the security scheme will operate successfully before she will consider relaxing her belligerent rights. w The spokesman of the British Air Ministry warns the population tha f the real war in the air has not commenced yet, and he urges that no precautions for combatting it be relaxed. It is stated that the Government of Eire is sending £lOOO to Finland as a friendly and sympathetic gesture. It is believed another U-boat has been destroyed in the North Sea by a Royal Air Force aeroplane, which swooped down on it and dropped bombs.