Another Erphe Day will dawn HE preparedness of Britain for a long and bitter struggle in in Shanghai today under the shadow of one of the grimest conflicts in the near and middle East and the heavy toll being taken of world history and the significance Axis aircraft and supply and ammunition ships were emphasized of the occasion will be brought by Mr. A. Morley in his weekly summary of the news, broadcast home to Britons here as well as elsewhere, who will not Let the day over Station XCDN last night. Among the most significant develop-pass without the traditional obments of the week was the move towards stronger action by the serv ances accompanying the natioh-
United States, he showed. While deploring the events in France, he said that General Weygand is quickly nearing the time when he must reveal his attitude tow now being encouraged by Adm follows:—
Hitler, the thought he was going to win the war last September without going outside the continent of Europe, now finds himself engaged three continents, with the vast mili ary resources of the greatest country of a fourth continent being mobilized rats him. He had to cross the Mediterranean into Africa to rescue the Italians. and now he has stepped over into Asia in order to exploit the AraB?n world and to attack the British position in the Middle Fast. He has ventured on a long and unknown road. jumping from one continent to another. The only reason for such an enormous extension of his military operations is the frustration he has suffered in the West. If he could win the Battle of Britain end the Battle of the Atlantic he would have no need to go excursioning into Africa or the south-western fringes of Asia, and itis only beezuse he knows that he cannot now win in the West that he takes these secondary lines, Attack on Suez Canal This past week has seen the further development of what is a multi-pronged attack in the direction of the Suez Cenal. The campaigns in iraq and Libya, and the attack on Crete are all part of a drive on Suez, which is no doubt regarded in Axis circles as being the most important British holding from a military point of view next to the island fortress of Britain itself. We see that into this struggle Hitler is prepared to throw every weapon at his command. He will stop at nothing, In Iraq, which is the strategic centre of the great Arabian peninsula he has not only used rebel elements but is attempting to inflame religious passion. We are presented with the blood of fourteen nations on his hands.
But if there is plenty of Muslim material for Nazi provocateurs to work on—such as Syrian Arabs who have been restless under French control, and Palestinian Arabs who have opposed Zionism—there is a far greater weight of the Moslem world on Britain's side. Iraq itself owes its independence to Britain's victory in the last war; British ties with the Arab kingdoms farther south in the great sandy peninsula are close and cordial, while the Moslem States of India are actively aiding Britain. Thousands of loyal Moslem troop: are serving in British armies and have displayed traditional heroism and bravery.
1 don't think Hitler has the smallest chance of succeeding ju his Holy War scheme, but that he has turned the screw on Vichy is apparent by what has been happening in Syria. where aerodromes have been used by Ger-ran planes and where no French opposition has been offered {o the overland flight of Nazi machines to Iraq, Britain has been forced tq {ake strong action. Syrian aerodromes have been bombed, British consulates have been closed and officials withdrawn, while the defect tion and escape of many French officers, troops and airmen show that Vichy's action does not enjoy unanimous approval.
World Shocked It has been a profound shack' to world opinion that the French have allowed territory under their control {o be used by the Germans for the making of war on British forces, and I fear that we are only at the beginning of a further serious deterioration in Anglo-French relations. Since France capitulated and put herself more or less at the mercy of Hitlei Britain has only asked that France shall not connive with the Nazis against Britain, but the evidence is now irrefutable thet Admiral Darlan and his fellow puppets at Vichy have thrown in their lot with Germany and that in addition to economic and political collaboration there is to be no effective hindrance put in the way of German use of French controlled territories for military purposes, Mr. Anthony Eden has given a grave warning to Vichy and reactions in America have been no whit less strong than in Britain. It is felt that the politicians of Vichy have sacrificed French honour and the future of their country for their own immediate personal ends. It remains to be seen just how far Vichy will go and what are the final reactions of the French people. Vichy has oneried Syria te Britain's enemy; will she allow Morocco and other parts of the French Empire to be similarly used? We have heard nothing from General Weygand. who now faces the showdown he always said he would mot fear. We have always believed that M-shal Petain would never break his word not to allow French ferriter: or the French fleet to be used agains France's former ally, but he has succumbed to the wiles of those around him, It is not against his person but against the pol he has now endorsed that attacks are directed. If Petain has said "yes" to Dar-Jan, will Weygand say "no"? I think the answer to that question cannot be long delayed, Not Unprepared But, if Britain faces the threat of a big Axis drive against Egypt. the Suez, and her general position in th Middle East, she is by no means un prepared and by no means ill-equipped. Some people complain that we don't hear much about what dispositions Britain is making, but General Wavell is obviously not going to advertise for the benefit of the enemy. On the Egyptian border. Tobruk still defies Axis attacks and inflicts its periodical toll on those who venture ioo near; while Sollum and Capruzzo have been costly points for the attackers at the end of long lines of communication.
A new and dramatic German move has now been made by powerful air attacks on Crete and the landing of thousands of parachute troops, While ihe first batches were mostly killed or taken prisoner by the Greek and British forces there have been fur-"her large landings, ard bosh more will follow. N disclosed that the battle for Crete is a grim one, likely to grow both in yards the surrender to the Nazis ital Darlan.
Mr. Morley's talk scope and intensity, and it is abundantly apparent that the Nazis are prepared to make heavy sacrifices in an attempt to gain possession and control of this very important stratetically-placed island. The battle is in progress as I speak; we must await its outcome, More Australian troops have been sent to Cyprus, and it can be taken for granted that Britain will never lightly give up any of the island fortresses in the Eastern Mediterranean where she already holds overwhelming naval superiority. One must expect, however, that Axis naval activity will increase now that Germany controls Greek ports to which she can send boats in sections for assembly and launching.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.