GIRAUD ON MILITARY SITUATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 66, 20 March 1943, Page 5

GIRAUD ON MILITARY SITUATION

FRANK FRENCH LEADER Recd. 9 p.m. New York, March 18. “The Vichy Government is a German Government which can no longer exist when the French armies enter France,” said General Giraud, when interviewed in North Africa by Hancon Baldwin, of the New York Times. General Giraud, who impressed Baldwin as the strongest, most disinterested and most sincere of all French leaders, frankly discussed the military situation. He expressed the opinion that Germany was not yet at the end of its rope, despite heavy losses in men and material, and had enough strength left to finish the year but could not get through another winter. He did not believe that Germany had another March. 1918, offensive in her system, and added that because of the strength of the fortifications in Western Europe, she could impose great casualties «if the Allies attacked in that area, but the successful conclusion of the African campaign would greatly affect Italy, .while a landing ii. southern Europe would haw inestimable results on the entire strategy of the war. Baldwin said that General Giraud’s recent statements regarding the resignation of M. Bergeret and probably the replacement of General Nogues has done much to clear the political air. However, within the next six to ten weeks, he said, the political crisis will be paralleled by an economic and military crisis having a major effect on the political situation. The rainy season has ended and an extreme intensification of the fighting may be expected at any time. The hoarding of food and wheat has created a serious shortage, Baldwin concludes. General Gifaud’s political reforms cannot be fully consummated until the Germans are pushed into the Mediterranean anil the spectre of hunger and deprivation eliminated from North Africa.