THE BALKAN FRONT
THE situation is developing rapidly in the Near East on 1 what may now be called the Balkan Front, and Hitler is consolidating his diplomatic gains in Bulgaria. He has been waging the diplomatic offensive for all it is worth in those countries which are most assailable by it. By exploiting the mutual enmities between the small Powers and the political divisions within them he has won first Hungary for the Axis, then Rumania, and now Bulgaria, and within a short time of enfolding the last within his blighting grasp he has introduced his Gestapo, imposed his censorship, established his garrisons and marched his troops across the country to the southern frontiers. In another bloodless war Hitler has triumphed over the soul of Bulgaria and has made her as literally his as if she had been conquered by arms, with this difference, that her Government has made itself his ready accomplice, and must accept the consequences which result from its abandonment of neutrality and the opening of its territory to the German armies. Hitler's advance forces are now close to the frontier troops of the Greeks, and are not far from the border of Turkey. In these circumstances Britain has recalled her Minister and broken off diplomatic relations.
What next? Is it to be a direct attack upon Greece, as soon as the Germans can bring up heavier forces over snow- bound mountains and poor roads? Or is it to be an attack on Turkey? Or will Hitler first seek to make more gains by bloodless means, wringing the last ounce of profit out of his more insidious offensives? His last-minute dispatch of a courier to Angora with a message to President WWI is doubtless an. attempt to unsettle the plans which Turkey has now de- cisively formed after the conversations with Mr. Eden and Sir John Da Neither threats nor blandishments will have any effect on the decisions which Turkey has already taken, and tills belated overture is already being read as a sign of nervous- SS On Hitler's part. Has he not always feared the war on two fronts? But if he has nothing to gain by the diplomatic offensive against Turkey, the situation is different in regard to Yugoslavia. That country will be a harder nut to crack than either Rumania or Bulgaria, and that is why he has left it to the last, till she is almost encircled. There are no illusions in Yugoslavia as to the meaning of co-operation with the Axis. Within that country there is no strong pro-Nazi party, and no General Staff whose sympathies are with the Germans. If Yugoslavia should yield to pressure it will be simply because the defection of Bulgaria has exposed her eastern flank and she despairs of successful resistance. But Germany cannot tell that she may not propose to fight for her honour and indepen- dence, even if to do so means the temporary withdrawal of her defences from the northern provinces.
Whilst we are still in doubt as to the intentions of Germany, she also is in doubt as to those of the Allies. Mr. Eden and Sir John Dill, having concerted plans with the Turkish Govern- ment and Staff at Angora, have gone on to Athens to complete the plan of campaign with the purposeful Government of Greece. Great Britain is in the happy position of having taken full advantage of the winter, when little progress could be made with the war in Europe, to bring to a successful conclusion the great campaign in Cyrenaica. It is for this country to decide, in conjunction with its Allies, what use should be made of the forces released by the destruction of an Italian army. On that subject it is not within our competence to speak, but it is already clear that Bulgaria's defection has exposed the Rumanian oilfields as well as the German forces in Bulgaria to bombing attacks by the R.A.F. We are now secure in the Eastern Mediterranean. We are not without powerful forces which can be transported at will, and Allied as well as British confidence is increased by the knowledge that Britain has tried and victorious troops in the Middle East commanded by a brilliant strategist.
