The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-02-28
WAR:
Balkan Crisis

Moving of 100000 to 600,0O Nazi
troops into Rumania and according
to uncomfortable reports, many
thousands into Bulgaria brought
matters in the Balkans to a terrific
pressure crisis.
Little Bulgaria was merely a pawn
in the war game, not one authority
believing for moment that she
could or would make any substan-
tial effort to halt what looked like
an obvious move on the part of Ger
many to send an overpowering blow
against Greece.
That the British success in Africa
and the Greek success in Albania
was to receive an answer from Hit
Ter seemed certain. That answer
began not only to take form but to
assume critical proportions.
Britons MoUe Out
First definite action-move was the
removal of all British diplomats
from Rumania. This was closely
followed by a statement from Off
cial British quarters that Rumanian
trade would be barred.
This seemed a last forerunner to
bombing of Rumanian oil fields
and Germany's troops and commu-
nications, in other words, to the en-
try into the war terrain Of Rumanian
lands, although the country and gov
eminent were technically out.
The next definite steps were taken
by Russia and Turkey. The Soviet,
which had been viewing askance the
movements by the Nazi hordes into
Rumania and toward the mouth of
the Danube, moved its fleet into wa
tiers from which action in that quar-
ter might be taken, either as an ally
or an enemy of Turkey.
Turkey Takes Stand
Meanwhile the Turks took their
stand, concentrating what military
power they had as near the Bull
garian frontier as possible. In the
same movement they announced
their intention not to sit spassively
by and let Germany move troops
into Bulgaria and thence against Sa-
lonika.
But then came ain announcement
that a Bulgarian-T Turkish non-ag-
gression pact had been signed which
would indicate that the Turks were
avoiding any chance of breaking the
peace with the Axis powers.
The Greeks were holding the Ital-
ians either at a standstill or were
moving them backward steadily as
this series Of startling and critical
events took place.
The British at the same time were
not idle, but boldly sailed their ma
val vessels into action in the Medi-
terranean and Adriatic seas, shelled
northwestern Italian ports, and
dropped parachutists (the first they
had used in the wary into south
ern Italy for the purpose of cutting
water supplies and communications
With regard to the success or fail
ure of this effort, only the conflicting
reports coming from Italy could tell,
as the British were silent. The first
Italian report was that all the para
chutists had been captured before
they could do serious damage.
Later, however, an unexplained
dispatch stated that Italy had halted
all rail traffic to and from the af-
fected area. This was taken in some
quarters to mean that some of the
British air soldiers had succeeded
in cutting the railway lines.
Treated as Soldiers
Italian sources said that as the
British parachute-men were clad in
regular uniforms, they would be
treated as prisoners of war and not
as spies.
British sources, though they adj
mitted the raid had been made, de-
clined any details Speculative dis
patches from London, however, re-
called that Germany and Soviet Rus
STA had pioneered in this type of
attack, and limited that the British
airmen sought to break the 152-mile
long Apulian aqueduct.