The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-28
(NEA Radiophoto)

might move by sea, If troops are
available in the eastern Mediter-
ranean for Greek expedition as
well as for defense of Egypt and
the Suez Canal
Military experts said that the Ko-
rita route was very mountainous
and that it could be strongly de-
Tended by the Greeks, which the
British described as competent but
suffering from a shortage of modern
equipment"
Entry of Greece into the war as
an ally of Britain came swiftly, but
in lone with the recent furious d.
plomatic and military offensive di-
rected by Hitler in an effort to
swing all Europe into a solid total
itarian lineup against Britain.
Hitler had moved into Rumania
with sufficient military forces to
protect his Black Sea flank, and APP
parently to keep Russia quiet. He
had brought Spain more firmly into
line with the axis strategy and
forced defeated France to join up
in Pacific" collaboration, thus pro-
tecting the west flank.
Meet At Florence
Then today, Hitler and Mussolini,
accompanied by their chief military
and diplomatic aides, met at Flor
ence as the axis military machine
struck through the middle-over the
wild mountain passes, along the
jagged coast line and through the
air of Greece-in the first phase OF
long threatened offensive on the
Mediterranean front.
The rich oil fields OF the Near
East, the Suez Cana land the life
blood of the British Empire in the
Near East and Africa are the OBJ
jectives of the axis powers, but they
may simultaneously take advantage
of SPANS aid to grab at the British
fortress of Gibraltar.
The axis drive into the Balkans,
with such vital ports as Salonika as
the immediate goal in order to gain
bases for assault on the British fleet
in the eastern Mediterranean, pre-
sumably will be coordinated with the
Italian offensive in Egypt, where it
was admitted that Germany had
sent military mission and probably
considerable aerial forces.
Jugoslavia, lying along the easiest
road into Greece, tensely stood
guard along the frontier but it APP
peared that the Fascist advance into
Greece was limited in scope for
the time being. Greek dispatches
said that stubborn resistance was
being offered after Premier John
Metaxas had rejected an Italian
ultimatum demanding that Greece
break with Britain and give Italy
bases for military operations.
Both the premier and King George
appealing to Britain for aid, ex-
pressed confidence that the nation
would respond fully to mobilization
orders and fight to the end against
the invaders.
Fight for FatherIand
Eight for the fatherland, your
wives and children and for tradi-
tion," the premier declared in a
message to the people. Nov, above
all else, fight"
The usual Axis technique of Great
ing border incidents to work up an
excuse for invasion of a small neigh
Dor was little more than for
mality in the case of Greece, Minor
incidents were reported over the week
end but the Italian ultimatur made
it clear that the Axis purpose was
to end Greek relations with Bri-
tain and get Greek bases for at
tack in the Mediterranean.
Three hours later the air raid
sirens sounded the first of a series
of alarms and the ancient city
of Athens-witness of war and peace
and progress and decay down the
centuries-was again plunged into
the fire of battle.
First reports of military opera
lions were scattered and vague, COM
ing chiefly by way of Belgrade.
Heavy anti aircraft fire was reported
during four alarms at Athens but
no bombing was reported at the his
toric city,
100000 Italian Troops
About 100000 italian troops werel