LINGING aside the Soviet-
London, June 22. German non-aggression pact as suddenly and dramatically as he signed it less than two years ago, Herr Hitler early this morn ing ordered his legions to-invade Russia, which he accused of double-dealing and other anti actions.
First details of the inva which is being aided by Finnish and Rumanian forces, were n in a broadcast by M. Viacheslav Molotov, Soviet Vice-Premier and Foreign Corhmissar, who said that at four o'clock this morning, "without giving any reason to the Soviet Government and without a declaration of war," German forces attacked Russia, Nazi (rsops, he said, invaded the frontier in many places, and the Luttafte drew frst blood by killing and wounding over 200 people in raids on the plains of Shitomir and Kiev, in the "Ukraine: Sevastopol, inthe Crimea; Keunas, capital of Lithuania; and several other points in Esthonia.
The Rumanians late today claimed the occupation of the Bessarabian frontier town of Bolgrad, Three Soviet planes are stated to have been she down on the outskirts pled. The tempo and strength of British bombing attacks has markedly Inereared lately, Nazi Reaction Finally, it is not likely that the news will be greeted with any enthusiasm in Germany. The German people were prothised peace in 1940. but now they see peace receding farther and farther Into the dis tance, while they azo called on te Ineredse their war efforte and sacri 'A Buichavest telegram said that Ger-gran mechanized forces had begun to March into Bukovina, the northern province which Rumania lost to Russia at the same time as" Bessarabia, "The Rome radio announced partie flat Rumanian (cops. crossed the River Pruth at dawn this morning. The Pruth is the boundary line Between Rumania and Bessarabia, the part of Rumania taken by the Rus: Siuns last year, "According {0\a Bucharest message, General Jon Antonescu has" taken fices, "It will be surprising it their moral does not show the effects of 'M, Stalin, finding himself - faced with Germin forces massed on his frontier, must realize that the attack part of a well-designed plan that has been in Hitler's mind for some time, and carefully thought out, In' all probability the, attack on Russia was conceived for a twofold urpose—to secure material ald from Russian wheat fields and all and mineral deposits, and at the same time to make a tremendous pro paganda drive in Britain and America order to divide opinion there, in this connection it is. significant! that the German news service sent out news in code today which might teasily have been Instructions to German agents and fifth columnists. over the duties of military leader. He has issued a proclamation to the Rumanian army" ordering berate the Rumanians in Bessarabia, fand has appealed to the nation for ite support, Some hours after the invasion began, Taly fell in Une with her senior Axis partner by declaring war against Russi, The German Supreme Command fsgued a broadcast this morning to the German people to beware of parachutists in the area of military operations, The warning said that attempts tnay be made to carry out subolage, and colled on the civilian population to report any landing.
"The German invasion of Russia is momentous news, writes Reuter's Diplomatic Correspondent.
Relations betwee the two countries have never been easy despite Hitler's Aeelaration that their relations had been adjusted on a friendly ba for eternity, Germany never liked the occupation of the Baltic states or Bessarabia by Russia, and Russia ever appreciated German penter tion of the Balkans, Germany's non-aggression pact with Turkey can now be seen in its true light as a form of assurance against. complications on the Balkan front while Germans are fully occu pled elsewhere, German resources are immense, but Russian resources. are also im= mense, and were recently—greatly developed as a result of the lessons of the Finnish war, Few armies ave more extensively mechanized than Russia's, and they Ave reported to have some of the biggest' tanks tu the world, Their air force is algo powerful in num~ bers, though in part at least not up to. date, Russians know how to fight, and they have never had such a power= ful well-equipped army in their history, Hitler may be still count ing on quick success, but the German forees are going to find dis= tances and the Russian capacity for ruthless destruction of everything useful a Strain, Also. it is unlikely that the British will remain idle while the Germans are so fully oceu=
Although the' immedi Hitler's latest blow may be against Russia, there is no doubt that its ultimate direct purpose is to defeat] fall democracies, 'Exaggerated optimism merely on the grounds that another great power has been forced into war against' Germany would, therefore, be very shortsighted, it is pointed dut there, Though Germany as quined a rear neutral power into an enemy, she has done it with cold-blooded deliberation as a calculated stage towards the fuldiment of her ambition to establish world supremacy. With tremendous confidence la his army's powers, Hitler believes he can crush the Soviet in his greatest campaign fof all, set up a puppet government fa Moscow, and then, freed of all feconomie Worrles, turn his whole tention fo the defeat of Britain and her associates.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.