The week which has just ended was amongst the most important periods which the world has passed through during this war. While there were no particularly spectacular developments much was said and done which may have a profound influence on the future caliduct of the war. Not the least important were the diplomatic offensives still continued by both Hitler and Mussolini. The latter visited by General Franco at Bordighera is reported to have made demands upon his visitor which it is claimed the latter refused, though communiques released after the meeting alleged merely that General Franco had expressed his gratitude to Italy for the assistance given him during the civil wer in Spain, and asserted the existence of a complete identity of views between the two countries. If that was all that General Franco made his journey for, he seems to have gone to wholly unnecessary lengths to say Something which could just as well have been broadcast from Madrid, and the assumption that he made his trip at Mussolini's request in order that the latter might endeavour to persuade him to throw in his lot with the Axis must still stand, In that, it would seem, Mussolini failed. Whether Hitler has been any more successful with Yugoslavia remains to be seen. Nevertheless considerable importance attaches to the visit 6f the Yugoslav Prime and Foreign Ministers to Hitler's lair at Berchtesgaden. Hitler has long desired to include Yugoslavia in the Axis bloc, and though his diplomatic offensive of last November did not bring all the results he wanted, he has nevertheless been persevering, and has succeeded in bending Rumania.to his will, Bulgaria being probably in exactly the same case. The massing of German troops along the Danubian border between, Rumania and Bulgaria suggests that Hitler intends to move into the latter country in the near future. Bulgaria will apparently offer no resistance, firstly, because the Government believes it would be ineffectual, and secondly, because Hitler has offered it an outlet on the Aegean Sea. Yugoslavia, it is reported, strongly desires to maintain its neutrality, but without the support of the Balkan States practically all of which are now under German domination, it would be in an isolated and comparatively weak position.
Great Britain last week found itself obliged to take action with regard to Rumania, which Germany, as has been obvious for a long time past, clearly intends to use as a military base for some future adventure, 'Though diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Rumania have been broken off, there, has been no declaration of war. The fact, however,' that "Britain "has announced that she would regard Rumanian soil as under enemy occupation, clearly points to Britain taking military action against the German bases in that country should such a step become necessary. If Bulgaria is finally persuaded to follow the Rumanian example, a similar declaration with regard to her will pave the way for aerial bombardment of the Rumanian oilfields, which so far as distances are concerned should prove a simple matter.
In Albania the Greeks have succeeded in repulsing at least the fiftieth counter-attack which the Italians have staged since they were able to delay the Greek advance. The week has seen intense fighting with some successes going to the Greeks, a very substantial number of prisoners, and quantities of material. In Africa the British appear to be making some progress and to have crossed the borders of Tripolitania. It is probable that some time will elapse before striking news comes from that part of the African continent, for the British will make just as careful preparations for further advances as they have done in the past, though the remnants of the Italian army there, consisting of approximately five divisions, is not expected to be in any. position to offer any effective resistance. Meanwhile the British are making some headway in Eritrea, Italian Somaliland, and Abyssinia, Italian resistance in the first named territory being somewhat sterner than anywhere else on the African continent. The capture of Keren, heavily fortified and admirably situated for holding out, presents a problem to the British command which may take some time to solve. In the Far East the situation still remains tense. The scare concerning the imminence of war in this part of the world has proved to be unjustified, though on the other hand it may be safely stated that up to the present nothing has occurred tending to bring about a lessening of existing tension.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.