GERMANY'S BIG BLOW

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21036, 12 February 1940, Page 3

GERMANY'S BIG BLOW

MAY FALL IN MARCH

HARD TASK AHEAD A SOLDIER’S WARNING March next might decide the destiny of the British Empire with the probability of a great blow by Germany against the Allies, declared Colonel H. C. Hurst, speaking for the defence committee at a meeting of I the Canterbury Chamber of Comi merce recently. He said that the ! threat to Britain was a threat to New ! Zealand. The blow must not succeed, and would not il all took a share in the war effort. “Quite apart from the extravagant boasts of Hitler and Gocbbels, our British Ministers have recently em- ; phasised the gravity of the situation ; confronting us in this critical year," | said Colonel Hurst. ‘‘We expect a i surprise attack in great strength and ! in all directions by a nation that re- ! gards war as the only method of settling disputes. , “Our task is a hard one. In the last war France, Italy, Russia. Japan, America, and other nations were our allies, and the enemies were Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria. Today Italy, Russia, and America ar»? still neutral. Must Meet First Impact “In other words, Britain and France and a few Czechs and Poles must take the shock of Germany’s impact. Remembering that the German was hammering at the gates of Paris in 1914 and nearly broke through our line in 1918, we cannot ignore the risks of the coming months. A risk to England is a risk to New Zealand. If she falls, we | fail.” j Germany had the largest army in i the world, and only a few British J divisions were in France, continued ; Colonel Hurst. Germany had the ! most mobile and hardest hitting army ! that ever existed in the history of i the world. Her people were welded • by Nazi doctrine and geared to war • effort. They had worked for this year for twenty-five years. We had | not. She had 10,500 tanks and the j biggest air fleet in the world. Testing Out Defences Germany had not frittered away her aeroplanes, but had simply tried them out and tested the defences with a few raids. She was conserving her strength for her great blow. “The success of this blow will fix the duration of the war, and probably ‘pick the sides’ for us. A marked success by Germany would attract more allies to her,” he said. “It must not succeed. “Its failure, in part, depends upon every individual doing a just share—a share which we call our duty. If everyone works for victory we will | triumph even at long length. I know \ we shall win, for our cause is just and our strength is great, but victory is the reward of effort, too. That is the lesson. “And it is not sufficient that we should win; we must win quickly. Only in that way will civilisation have a reasonable chance of reconstruction. March next may decide our destiny. Make sure of victory by sharing in its achievements.”