BALKAN THRUST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 244, 16 October 1940, Page 5

BALKAN THRUST

HITLER’S LINE OF LEAST RESISTANCE TWO OBSTACLES TO PLAN [ British Official Wireless, j Received Oct. 15, 6.5 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 14. I Discussing the Balkan thrust. The I Times says: ‘Hitler has been compelled to recognise that the blitzkrieg ; against Britain is yielding no prospects of victory and none of those j quick, dramatic results necessary to: his prestige at home and abroad. Spain, in spite of the blandishments lavished on Senor Suner, has not com-, mitted herself, as far as can be di- j vined, to a departure from her watch- | ful attitude. Marshal Graziani has had time to experience some of thel uncomfortable realities of the campaign launched against Egypt at the moment when German bombers were supposed to be on the point of reducing London to ruins. "The line of least resistance must seem to lead through the Balkans. The first step—the bloodless subjuga-1 lion of Rumania —has been success- , fully undertaken during the past week, and a creditable outline of the Axis plan now seems to be shaping itself. It amounts to the administration of the coup de grace to Egypt . and the Suez Canal by some fresh form of pressure, if not indeed by actual attack from the north. In no other way can the so-called pincers of the Axis be made to close on the British stronghold in the Eastern Mediterranean. "There are two obstacles to the realisation of any such grandiose plan. The first is the power and spirit of Turkey. It is significant that the success of the Axis in South-Eastern i Europe has been achieved exclusivelyi at the expense of those who have al- ■ lowed themselves to be bribed and' terrorised. Yugoslavia so far has t>een saved from molestation by her well-known determination to defend herself, and by the reputation of her I troops as stubborn lighters in difficult I country. Greece hitherto has been : -pared because she has presented a 1 firm front to the bully. Turkey is the ; strongest military Power in the Neat , East and stands second to none, both I in the proud assertion ot her inde- j pendence and in capacity tn resist any infringement of it. Turkey will be saved by her own resolution. The second obstacle to the project is the growing strength of Britain in the Eastern Mediterranean. Had the Axis Powers been able to launch their offensive at the moment of the French armistice, the threat might have been formidable. Since then, however, successive reinforcements of men and material have reached the .British military, naval and air forces I in the Near East." AXIS ARBITRATION HUNGARY AND KI MAMA. Received Oct. 15. 9.5 p.m. BUDAPEST. Oct. 14. An Italian-German mission will arrive to-morrow to begin arbitration in thp Rumanian-Hungarian dispute regarding Transylvania.