The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-03
Isles' Defense Holds Might
 Of Empire

London, Sept. 3 (UP) = The first | year of the European War was @ | complete war in itself, series of smashing blows which put the l Axis Powers into position for the | attack on Britain around the world. l
 Germany bore the entire burden | of attack, but Italy, and possibly | Japan and Spain, were prepared to | profit by Britain's concentration on | the defense of the Isles.
 At the end of the first year, Germany held the entire coast of | Europe from the North Cape to the heel of Biscay, with friendly Spain beyond. It took Adolf Hitler just under 10 months to seize it. Philip of Spain, and later Napoleon, need- ed years of campaigning and di- plomacy before they were in posi- tion for thrusts which failed.
 Coast Guns Shell England
 In. the two months since the col- lapse of France, big guns have been brought into position. Some of them have shelled England. New air bases give the German air force fighter protection for its thousands of bombing planes.
 British garrisons along the line of empire are prepared for attacks which may come in over -whelming numbers. At home, Britain is better prepared for derenSe than it ever has been in History replete with war.
 The story of the one year which put German forces on the Chan mel coast, and the flanking wings of the army in Brittany and the Norwegian fjordS, is one of quick, deadly efficient strokes by the most modern of all armies. matched against semi-preparednesS or out moded theories of war in the case of every foe they struck.
 Germans Struck Sept.
 The invasion of Poland set the general keynote tor the year. When the German armieSS struck from three sides on Sept. 1. 1899, great German pincers movements en- veloped whole army corps, then armies. By Sept. 10, it was obvious that resistance beyond couple of months was impossible. On Sept. IT, Russia moved into eastern Po- land, and Poland was lost.
 The Western Front was static, as French strategy dicLated it should be. Britain was senGing new army across the channel ass last as late start in conscription and a painfully slow rearmament cam paign would permit. The French manned the Maginot Line, and kept a mobile force in readiness to move into Belgium if Hitler resurrected tho Schlieffen Plan.
 Russia Invaded Finland
 War flared in the north Nov. 30, whsn Russia invaded Finland. The small but rugged Finnish army won early victories - Tolvajaeryi, Salla, Suomussalmi. Syskyjaervi and Kuh- mo. But after two months on the Karelian Isthmus line, at Summa, cracked, and a month later Finland sued for peace.
 Germany next swept over Den- mark and into Norway on April g. The German stroke, aided by both Trojan horse" and fifth column work, took every major port in Norway, Bergen, Trondheim, Eger- sund and Narvik.
 British and other Allied troops began to arrive April IS. The Allies had no port capable of handling heavy weapons and the huge trans port trains required by modern army.
 Allied land forces, faced with overwhelming odds in tanks and planes, were forced to limit the campaign to Narvik in the north. They captured it May 28, and evacuated June 10.
 France Fell In 3S Days
 The drive which began May 10 with the invasion of Holland and Belgium and ended 38 days later when France sued for peace, was in it's essence the classic Schlieffen plan with variations dictated by modern weapons.
 It was carried out in perfect CO., ordination of air, force, army and air-borne troops, aided at the start by a fifth column.
 The details of the route from Louvain, the Mouse and Sedan through to the arInistice of Com piegne are still the secret of the general staffs.
 The British Expeditionary Force threw nine first line divisions into the Low Countries. The French force, somewhat larger, also was a picked body.
 Holland resisted four days, which was all military experts had ex- pected. Belgium soon followed. Liege began to crumble. The Mouse and the densely wooded Ardennes yielded to the flrst armored thrust and the Germans shifted their weight to the left of the line. By May 14 they were along the Mouse from Liege to Sedan. The next day a bulge was driven in the French line north of Sedan. One entire division of the French Corp army crumbled.
 Brussels Lost May l7
 The armies in Belgium began re- tiring. On May IT, the Germans entered Brussels. Two days later they took St. Quentine and Le Cateau and turned their drive to- ward the coast. Next day they were on the Cambrai-Peronne road, and motorized troops were pouring through the gap.
 On May 25, the Allies retired be- hind the Lys in Belgium. The Ger mans intensified their pressure on the Gelgian forces on the Allied left. Next day armored divisions reached the coast ct Boulogne. the day after ct Calais. On May 26. King Leopold of the Belgians surrender. cd, and with It's left wing in the air and the Germans pressing from uaPMa ntdaR kha Aiilad faraa fMNAd