POLICY IN GREECE DEFENDED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21957, 8 May 1941, Page 5

POLICY IN GREECE DEFENDED

Statement By Mr Eden British Official Wireless RUGBY, May 6. Opening the debate on the war situation in the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) reviewed the events of the last few months in particular relation to the hostilities in the Middle East. For this survey Mr Eden took as his starting point early in February, when it had become clear that the Germans, having overrun Rumania, intended to establish themselves in Bulgaria, to encircle Yugoslavia, to subject Greece to pressure, and to immobilise Turkey and from that position, attained without firing a single shot, to deliver their main blow from secure bases and attack our positions in the eastern Mediterranean. The subsidiary purpose was to help Italy, which was not going any too well in Albania.

“Hitler has described how well the Italians did,” said Mr Eden. “He congratulated them on weakening the Greeks. Forty-five millions Weakening 7,000,000! I do not suppose a more insulting tribute has ever been paid to any ally. Request From Greece “On February 8 our forces entered Benghazi. In view of the need for resting the men and refitting and refuelling the vehicles, there was not a possibility of prolonging the advance to Tripoli. The previous plan had been to halt after Tobruk and make a western flank there, but it was rightly decided to seek a further brilliant advance to Benghazi. “On the same day, February 8, a Note from the Greek Government reached Britain confirming its determination to resist German aggression. It told us that Greece had united her fate with ours and would fight until final victory. It asked us to consider what help we could give and the conditions in which we could give it. It was not a cry for help. It was a statement of the Greek position and a request that we should state ours. “In the face of these conditions the Government decided to maintain its decision previously arrived at—to hold the desert advance at Benghazi and prepare a force to go to the help of Greece,” said Mr Eden. “This involved diplomatic and military problems, and General Sir John Dill and I set out as envoys.” Mr Eden recalled that with the collapse of French resistance the British were left in a position of the utmost difficulty and gravity in the Middle East, where the three main armies were French—in Syria, Tunis and Djibouti. “Our forces were relatively small, with a serious shortage of equipment, and in the late summer the Government was deeply exercised by the situation. After General Sir Archibald Wavell had come home for consultation, the Government took the decision to take great risks to reinforce that army, and there were sent out armoured units, men, material, and aircraft, and it was that equipment and those weapons which enabled General Sir Henry Wilson and Lieutenant-General Sir Richard O’Connor in their desert advance to secure such brilliant successes.”

Greeks Would Fight Alone On arrival in Cairo, Mr Eden and General Sir John Dill found the three commanders-in-chief in complete agreement with the policy of supplementing the help already sent to Greece in the autumn by the dispatch of land formation, leaving in Cyrenaica forces sufficient to meet anything expected there. _ , , , “With the exception of Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, who had one of his occasional appointments with an elusive enemy, all the participants In these conversations visited Athens, and on arrival I received a message that the King and the Prime Minister wished first to see me alone,” said Mr Eden, “'they once more made it abundantly clear that Greece was determined to resist German as she had Italian aggression. The Prime Minister added that whatever the hopes of repulsing the enemy, Greece would defend her national territory even if she could count only upon her own forces. We were deeply impressed by the courage and loyalty shown by the Greek leaders.

Agreement With Decision "The decision to establish British and Greek forces on the short Aliakmon Line, which afforded a reasonable chance of holding the German advance, was speedily reached in complete agreement between the military experts, one of the considerations weighing Against other alternatives Iteing uncertainty about Greece s northern neighbours. “In this war we are fighting not for gain, but for causes, and Greece s is the embodiment of these causes. I believe that had we not gone to her help we could not have raised our heads again. We had the advantage of consulting in Cairo that most wise statesman and tried warrior, General Smuts. He, too, was in complete agreement with the decision arrived at.” The immediate demand, said Mr Eden, was for more ships and, munitions, for the more ships and more munitions Britain had the sooner she could end the war. The gesture of the United States in opening the Red t>ea for American merchant ships he described as a great gesture.

Message From Greece Mr Eden then read the reply to the message from the House Commons congratulating the Greek on the valour and actions of then troops. “I thank you for your cordial message. Please assure the House of Commons and the British people that their eulogies of the Greek army will touch the hearts of our whole nation. We will never forget the loyal and courageous help the British ana Imperial troops gave to our soldiers in the defence of their native land. Our allies showed themselves worthy to rank with the ancient heroes of Thermoplylae and to write letters of gold in the glorious pages of British history. I desire once again to assure you that we will continue the struggle by the side of our great ally and the noble people of the British Commonwealth until victory is won and the triumph of the ideals of liberty morality and international justice is achieved.” Turning to the importance attaching to the policy pursued by Yugoslavia, Mr Eden said what was needed was a common plan offering the best chance of resisting attack, together. Every effort to secure it failed until the 1 moment of the coup d’etat. In fact mobilisation was not proceeding fast enough and it was not again until the coup d’etat that the new government of General Simovltch made a real immediate effort to get the armies ready. It was then too late.” Had the Government that preceded that coup d’etat clearly understood their country’s true interests as had the Government of General Simovltch, the whole story might have been different, but none of these things can detract from the courage of the decision that the Yugoslav people eventually took. We have pledged ourselves to redeem Yugoslavia’s independence and that pledge will be honoured.” Passing to his conversations with Turkish statesmen, Mr Eden said they had enabled them to discuss the Bal-

kan situation fully on the basis of firm, mutual confidence. "The Turkish Government was informed, as an ally, of our plans in connection with Greece. It was naturally cbgnlsant of the developments in Yugoslavia.” I was throughout Impressed by the loyal friendship shown by all the Turkish statesmen we met and by the determination they and the people showed to stand firm against any menace to their sovereignty and any encroachment on their rights and interests. The importance of Turkey’s role as a bulwark against further aggression in the Middle East is obvious. I am sure that loyalty to their alliance is as ever the basis of the Turkish Government’s

foreign policy.” In a few words addressed to the Arab world, Mr Eden said that in all recent history there had been no rule more cruel, more ruthless than that imposed by Italy on the Arabs living in Tripoli and Libya. Arabs in any land must know that the approach of Axis rule means the end of their liberties which they have jealously guarded. Concluding he said that the dominant need must be for more ships and munitions. Every move in the iplomatlc fields was conditioned by our military strength. "Not once does Germany or Italy show anywhere the least respect for any engagement. Their only sanction is force. It is a fact that the United States is helping us greatly in many spheres and in many ways, and the more fully and rapidly the more certainly that help can reach the battlefields in Asia, Africa and Europe the shorter will be the duration of the war. That is why an immense step forward was taken by the United States in deciding to send ships through the Red Sea. It must be our privilege, together with the help we can receive from the United States, to win for the nations of Europe the right to live their own lives in peace and tranquility, secure at last from the haunting dream that shadows our own time.” Need for Bases in Eire Mr Lees-Smith (Labour) said that the main theatre of war was still the Atlantic. It was fantastic that Britain was unable to use Irish ports as bases. Were bases granted to Britain on the west coast of Ireland the naval war would be transformed in a night, and Britain would be able to send considerable forces to the Mediterranean. But for Britain Eire would find herself in the position of Poland, Denmark and Holland, and the United States should be asked to make representations to Southern Ireland. Mr Hore-Belisha (Liberal), a former Minister of War, said he supported the policy of aiding Greece, but help should have been given when Italy declared war. Then the Italians could have been bombed and their communications broken. He asked why there was such tenderness to Italy night after night. Mr Hore-Belisha also criticised the British secret service for inefficiency which rendered British plans abortive. Confidence in Mr Churchill Several speakers expressed their confidence ip Mr Churchill and it was stated that it would be necessary to go back to the days of the younger Pitt to find a statesman who could compare with Mr Churchill. Another speaker said that the politeness of nineteenth century diplomatic intercourse was unsuitable for dealing with an unscrupulous enemy and there was a feeling throughout the country that the Foreign Office had been outmanoeuvred. Ldrd Moyne, in a statement in the House of Lords, said that before the Imperial forces left Greece they had inflicted on the Germans losses much heavier than they had suffered at German hands, while in Africa General Wavell’s forces had taken 200,000 prisoners and had inflicted casualties totalling 380,000 on the Italians and their African levies. An advance into Egypt by the enemy would be more difficult than appeared from looking at a map. This had been proved by the garrison at Tobruk which was a painful thorn in the enemy’s side. Condemning the intrigues of the present Iraq administration, Lord Moyne said that the great majority of the Iraqi people had not forgotten that it was Britain who freed them, while the Italians had made no secret of their wish to dominate all Mohimmedan countries. With the help of the United States, supplies to the Middle East would be greatly increased. Especially was this necessary now that the Axis powers were concentrating on the Middle East so much. _ . . Lord Moyne, in the House of Lords, revealed that the total loss of Imperial forces in Greece did not exceed 11,500 men, of which a large proportion were those cut off in re-embarkation. A greater quantity of war material had already arrived in the Red Sea than that which had been lost in Greece. Speaking in the House of Lords. Viscount Galway said: “I can inform the House that rumours of lack of consenting opinion regarding the Greek expedition between the New Zealand and British Governments are entirely without foundation.” The House of Lords unanimously passed a vote of confidence in the Government. The vote in the House of Commons will not be taken till the end of ths second day of the debate to-morrow.