A " New-Order " Conference ?
Just as Germany is compelled to re-shape her military plans of campaign owing to her failure to overcome Russian resistance, so, too, she is compelled to modify her diplomatic schemes. If she had won the victory she had expected in the east she would have announced a European Peace, and summoned a conference to establish her New Continental Order. There have been indications from several quarters that she still intends to hold a conference of her Allies and European neutrals, though its character can only be a shadow of what had been intended. Hints have been dropped to certain neutral countries, and a message from Vichy suggests that Vienna might be the scene of these grand discussions. Hitler had doubtless hoped to present the assembled quislings of the Continent with the fait accompli, that of a Europe completely conquered, with Russia at his feet ; and upon this tabula rasa of his creation he could impress his conception of, a Nazified Europe. Russia is very far from con- quered, and the German armies, whether they continue the offensive or dig in, seem destined to spend a very uncom- fortable winter in snowbound and ravaged country. In his speech at Munich last Saturday Hitler sought to convince his audience that he had already annihilated the Soviet Army. Claim- ing fantastically that it had suffered a loss of from eight to ten million soldiers, he added that ".no army can recover from such losses." His Peace Conference required a Russia beaten, so he asserts that it is beaten and is free to proceed with his con- ference. A peace offensive against this country was probably also part of the programme, but the speeches of Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt have not made that line of attack very promis- ing. The conditions for the political and- economic settlement of Europe on Hitlerite lines do not exist, and if or when the repre- sentatives of the dependent countries meet there is little that he can do beyond imposing the terms of an interim co-operation.
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