The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1940 A Momentous Battle

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21676, 10 June 1940, Page 4

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1940 A Momentous Battle

WHAT is described as the greatest battle in history is now being fought in France. The Germans, well content with the fruit of the wheeling movement which gave them possession of the Channel ports and made evacuation of the British

Expeditionary Force necessary, are now concentrating their vast mechanical and military resources on an attempt to smash the French line guarding the way to Paris. At this early stage of what must prove to be one of the decisive battles of the war it is inevitable that reports must be sparse and somewhat conflicting, but so far it seeing clear that the French line remains unbroken although the Germans have made progress at some points. There has been a slight French withdrawal, but this must be expected, for it is rather much to hope that the first defence lines would be able to hold against an attack which the enemy has launched wilii terrifying disregard for human life. Losses mean nothing to the Nazi commanders when they have an objective in view, and their special objective at the moment is to administer a knockout blow to the French army. This they have to do in the space of a few weeks, perhaps even within days, otherwise they lose the war. That the full strength of the

German army is being employed in this new offensive is the surest sign that the Nazis are in a

desperate position. It is an open confession of total inability to maintain a long struggle. The German leaders know that it is impossible io preserve indefinitely the present advantageous proportions between the military power of their country and that of the Allies. That is why everything must now be staked on this ghastly gambler's throw.

French communiques reporting on the progress of the battle are encouraging. They are reservedly

optimistic, but there is no attempt to disguise the fact that tlie enemy has made line penetrations at some points. However, it is plain that these seeming successes are of minor significance when related to the whole battle, and a battle, like a picture, must be considered as a whole, not in isolated detail. The simple honesty of the communiques is the best indication that nothing beyond that which could be reasonably anticipated has yet happened.

The Allied Commander in Chief has said of this new struggle that it is “the battle for France.” There need be no doubt about that. The German purpose is to drive down to Baris in the hope that seizure of the capital would put France out of the war. However, it does not follow at all that another successful German drive would do that. The capture of Faris, if the worst did come, would be a ma jor blow to French pride, but as long as the army preserved its order the fighting would still go on and the Germans would not have gained anything if French moral, as it should, remained undisturbed. In the meantime there is no reason to suppose that the attack will not be successfully resisted, but even should resistance fail at this point the situation would not be past retrival. There may be a tendency to think that the French are fighting the battle alone now that the main portion of the Briish forces are in England. This, of course, is 110 so. There are still British troops supporting the French, but more important still, the Royal Air

Force is continuing its remorseless action against the enemy both in France and in Germany itself. What is most likely to curb the German onslaught is the steady harrying of his concentration points, lines of communications and sources of essential supplies to maintain the mechanised attack. This work is being done with energy and gallantry ami the Germans are certain to be feeling the effect of it already. While the battle cannot decide the war it must to some extent prove decisive. It will at least decide the next move that will be taken in the struggle.