“ WILL CROSS THE CHANNEL ”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 207, 2 September 1943, Page 5

“ WILL CROSS THE CHANNEL ”

MR. CHURCHILL ON INVASION GREAT BLOW WILL BE STRUCK (By Telegraph -Press Association —Copyright) Reccl. 7 p.m. London. Aug. 31. “I look forward to the day when British and American liberating armies will cross the Channel m full force and come to close quarters with the German invaders of France,” said Mr. Churchill in a broadcast from Quebec. ‘‘You certainly will not wish me to tell you when that is likely to happen or whether that is near or far, but whenever the great blow is struck you may be sure that it will be because we are satisfied there is a good prospect of continuing success, and that our soldiers’ lives will be expended in accordance with sound military plans and not squandered to political considerations of any kind. “I submit to the judgment of the United Nations and history that the British-American strategy, as directed by the combined chiefs of staff and as approved and to some extent inspired by the President and myself, has been the best open to us in practical circumstances. 4 ‘lt lias been bold and daring, and lias brought into play against the enemy the maximum effective forces that could have been deployed up to the present by Britain and the United states, having regard for th'* limitations of ocean transport, the peculiar conditions of amphibious warfare, and the character and training of the armies we possess.

“The terrific aerial attack on Germany would not have been possible without the magnificent stand of the .Russians against Hitler’s forces. No country lias withstood such a devastating at-| tack as that thrown against the; Russians. ” Turning to Italy, whose “war im- ■ pulse” had been destroyed and whicn had paid a terrible penalty for allow- ; ing itself to be misled by false an 1 criminal guides, the Prime Minister declared: “How much easier it is to accept them than to shake them off.” A large number of German troops had been drawn away from France to hold down the Italian people in order to make Italy a battleground and keep the war as distant and as long as possible from German soil. By far the greater part of the German air force had been drawn from the Russian front, and was being worn down with ever-growing intensity night and day. We had established a strategic initiative and potential, both in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, of which the enemy could neither measure the weight nor percieve the hour of its application, said Mr. Churchill. Mr. Churchill said that the fate of King Boris of Bulgaria might serve as a warning to other rulers that "the wages of sin is death.” Pointing out that Britain’s principal activity against Japan must of necessity be centred in India, he expressed his confidence in Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, the newlyappointed Commander-in-Chicf in South-east Asia. In conclusion, the Prime Minister said: "It is not given to the clearest minded and most, calculating mortals to know with certainty what is their interest. Yet it is given Io a 10l of simple folks Io know what is duty. That is the British Commonwealth and Empire. the great Republic of the United States, the vast U.S.S.R. the indomilable and innumerable people of China and all the United Nations shall mare!) 1111 our work is done and we may rest from our labours and the whole world may turn with hope, conlidenee, good sense, and dearly-bought experience from war to lasting peace.’’ 8.0.W.