NAZI TECHNIQUE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 63, Issue 4490, 15 October 1941, Page 3

NAZI TECHNIQUE

THE ATTACK ON RUSSIA. “To suggest that, when he launched his attack against Russia on June 22, Hitler was ‘returning to the policy of “Mein Kampf” ’ is to ignore the development of Nazi technique which has taken place during the past 16 years. It is certainly not fanciful to suggest that Hitler, when he decided in favour of the overthrow of the Bolshevik regime, was influenced by the degree of compliance which the Vichy Government had shown toward Germany., Admiral Darlan’s diligent pursuit of a policy of ‘collaboration with our conquerors’ had proved that the military overthrow of a country need not necessarily preclude farreaching co-operation with a regime born of defeat. To think of Hitler’s invasion of Russia in terms of the elimination of the Red Army and Air Force, plus the acquisition of oil and wheat, is vastly to under-estimate the scope of Germany’s ambitions. The Germans undoubtedly look forward to the day when a Russian Government, both anti-democratic and anti-Com-munist, will perform for the Reich in the East of Europe services, diplomatic and military as well as economic, comparable to those which Vichy is already rendering in the West of Europe, in the Near East, and in Africa. Such a Government would assist the Reich in putting pressure upon Turkey; it would threaten British interests in Iran and interfere in the affairs of India; instead of assisting China against Japan, it would hold out to Japan the bait of collaboration against China.” -‘Mr Peter Matthews.