Evening star., 1940-09-03
Wars Course Like|y
To Change Quickly,
Observers Feel
Stronger Axis Pressure
On Britoin, Balkans and
Mediterranean Seen
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Sept. "a change in
the course of the war within the
first few weeks of its second year,
which opened today, is regarded as
likely by observers watching strug-
giles apparently coming to a head
simultaneously in Britain, the Bal
kans and the Mediterranean.
They predicted Germany and
Italy would increase pressure on all
three fronts and then swing their
weight quickly into which ever
showed the least resistance. Sc.
On the British front the Air Min
1stry warned the nation to expect
continued mass raids, probably ac-
companied by increased attacks at
night.
The British appeared confident,
however, their air force would gain
the upper hand. The London press
unanimously took this view today
IN summarizing the wars first year.
Tide Flowing to Victory.
The tide is already flowing toward
victory" said the Times, which
counted among Britain's assets that
sympathy for our cause has been
widening in America" where there
is "a progressive realization that the
ideas we are defending" are ideas
on which their republic, and all the
policies of humane civiliza ton have
been built"
Observers hold that if Britains
air defense fails to soften before
mid-September, Germany would be
almost too late to try any invasion
this year.
This would still leave her a chance,
however, to consolidate her diplo-
matte drive in the Balkans, where
Rumania is regarded as threatened
with the possibility of German occu-
patton. 1t was along this route
that the empire planners of i'm
perial Germany envisioned a Ber-
hn-Bagdad realm, freeing the
Reich from dependence upon ocean
trade.
Air Defense Major Surprise.
On the third front, the Mediter-
ranean, Italian pressure on Greece
and apparent imminence of an
Italian offensive from Libya against
British power in Egypt fit into the
opportunist strategy of the Rome
Berlin axis.
The British defense that kept
Germany from landing a knockout
blow by bombers is regarded as a
major surprise of the war, so far
second only to the collapse of
France.
The iexibility of British air de-
fense and hard-hitting British
fighter attacks are credited here
with spelling the German mass
raids. One instance of this fiexi-
bility is the sudden shifting of anti
aircraft batteries whenever the Ger
mans appear to have found a safe
"aueyWay."
Bombers Caught Off Guard.
A newly-placed battery yesterday
was said to have caught a group of
Dorniers off guard and bounced
them against a swarm of Hurricane
and Spitf1re fighters. Anti-aircraft
guns along the Thames Estury were
reported to have put up a virtual
wall of shells to keep out the in
vaders.
London newspapers in viewing the
future with confidence today re-
called the dark days of the French
collapse.
The Times said the nations man
power was not seriously depleted by
casualties the first year and mate
rial resources were substantially in
tact, but "on the other hand, we
have suffered worse series of stra-
tegic disasters than the most pessi-
mlstlc imagination could have con-
templated year ago."
In this tale of disaster there came
a moment-let it now be acknowl-
edged for it is past and will not
recur-when imminent defeat stared
the British Empire in the fare" sold