GERMAN ANGER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 4, 6 January 1943, Page 5

GERMAN ANGER

AMBASSADORS SUFFER LIGHT ON RECENT CHANGES ißy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) London, Jan. 4. The appointment of new German diplomats to Spain, Sweden, anti Tokio shows the interpendenee of German military and diplomatic successes, says the diplomatic correspondent of The Tinies. Eberhard von Stohrer’s position as Ambassador to Madrid seemed secure before El Alamein and the invasion of North Africa.

The latter led to the recent SpanishPortuguese agreement. Von Stohrer ( aaure to prevent this probably led to .us supersession by ven Maltese, formerly of the Foreign Olfice in Berlin. Swedish policy and also public opinion there displeases the rulers ot tne Reich. Accordingly, Prinz Zu ,/ied has been replaced by Thomsen, the lormer Charge d'Affaires at Wash.ngton.

rhe third change is the supersession of Dr Ott, Ambassador to Tokio, by Stahmer, who was formerly accredited to Nanking. This may be interpreted as a mark of German annoyance with its Far Eastern ally. Japan since Pearl Harbour has fought for its own hand, regardless of Germany's wishes or Germany’s much-advertised military time-table. The Japanese have not yet added the invasion of Siberia to their commitments, much as Hitler must have hoped they would, to tie down some excellent Siberian troops who have fought effectively at Stalingrad and elsewhere. The Japanese did not attempt to synchronise a naval movement westward with Rommel's drive into Egypt last July. On the contrary, they went to the Aleutians, where they could not affect the general strategy of the war, and to Midway, where they might have done much for themselves it American efficiency had not beaten them.

The German Government is unable to vent its wrath on Japan, and had to content itself with “taking it out” ol the luckless Ambassador.