The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-24

teVpHOIllC OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, IL Huu
been necessary TO arrange special
facilities by way Of Switzerland
and because France and italy were
still at war. Finally q line was es.
tablished through Rome, Geneva
and Marseilie TO Bordeaux, and the
text OF the italian communication
was telephoned TO the government
Reconciled to harsh armistice
terms, and a harsh peace TO follow,
the government and apparently the
French people appeared TO hope
that agreement with italy might be
reached promptly and the cease
fire" order sounded by the French,
German ana italian armies.
II was announced that the gov
erument would remain ct Bordeaux
unless the Germans occupied ". In
event Of occupation, the cabinet
would move TO another city.
Churchill Rebuked
petain In o formal statement last
night had told Prime Minister
Winston Churchill Of Great Britain
TO stop interfering In French dom.
estic affairs by appealing TO French.
men In the empire 10 keep on fight
ing, and by repudiating the auth.
GRITTY OF the petair cabinet.
AT q meeting last night, second
Of the day, the cabinet had an
nounced that Gen. Charles De
0aulle, vice war minister, would be
court fnartialed OF the earliest op.
portunity for refusing 10 return 10
his post and for appealing TO
French officers and men outside
France proper 10 continue their 70.
sistance. Az It's first meeting yes.
terday the cabinet had stricken De
oaulle's name from the army list
and reduced him 10 the rank OF
colonel.
AT this first meeting also, Pierre
Laval, friendly TO Benito Mussoli1l
and co-author OF the Hoare-Laval
plan which sought 10 end the 1tAl.
Ian. Ethiopian war by giving Italy
part Of Ethiopia, was added 10 the
cabinet % vice premier. Adrief1
Marquet OF the left independent
group, was made O minister without
portfolio. He IA mayor Of Bordeaux.
Why French Were Licked
Bordeaux, June 24--(UP)-der.
many won tho battle OF France with
$4,000 tanks, an CIR force six times
stronger than that Of tho French
and an overwhelming superiority IN
inan-power, military experts said
The military situation which OBJ
liged Premier Marshal Philippe 20.
tain TO request an armistiee AZ days
after the Germans had crossed the
Belgian and Netherlands frontiers
was described by an official bulletin
Of the interior ministry. II said:
I'VE had hoped TO hold on the
somme and on the Aisne. The lire
was thrown back Just as others. on
the Seine and the Marne and then
on the Loire were thrown back
while two deep brooches opened the
road 10 enemy columns on our
fianks.
"The Maginot line was turned
and lost without combat when the
Germans pierced our fianks on the
lower Seine and at Chateau Thier.
"In Normandy and In Brittany
the Germans conquered the entire
Paris basin, then passing the Cher
line, pushed through the Allied
Loire and saone Valleys to cier.
mont, Ferrand, Roarne, Lyons and
still beyond.
"rhat Is where we were when The
government received the text Of the
German conditions for cessation OF
iiostilities. Half Of the national soil
has been conquered"
When the Germans crossed the
Belgian and Netherlands frontiers
the French northern frontier was
defended from the coast TO the
Moselle river by 80 French divisions.
At the height Of the battle along
the somme and the Aisne the Ger
mans had $50 divisions In the front
lines, an official spokesman said.
When the Germans pushed west
ward through Luxembourg and
crossed the Meuse river, only two
French divisions were sent forward
to defend q 37-Yniie stretch.