Evening star., 1942-06-29
All Danish East Coast
But 60.MiIe Stretch
Closed by Germans
lund and Air Forces
Considerably Reinforced
In Fear Of invasion
BY PAUL GHALI,
Foreign Correspondent OF The Star anc
| the CHICAGO Daily News

BY PAUL GHALI,
Foreisn Correspondent of The Star anc
the Chicago Daily News.
BERN. June % The Nazi
strengthening OF the Norwegian
coastal defenses against a possible
Allied invasion has been followed
by similar measures in vassalizeo
Denmark, according to a Stock.
holm dispatch to the Basler Ma.
tional zeitung today.
A decree Of the Danish minister
of justice, the paper says, has or
dered the closing Of the Jutland
coast from Skagen in the north tc
Esbierg in the south, leaving open
only about a 60-mile stretch OF the
Danish east coast The west coast
also has been put in a state OF alarm
preparedness from Skagen to
Frederickshaven.
Civilians are forbidden to enter
the zone under severe penalties
which will become even severer il
the offensive is committed after
the blackout. The Danes, it would
seem, may neither bathe nor sail
this summer.
The Basel paper further records
that land and air forces in Denmark
have been considerably reinforced
lately.
Wholesale Maneuvers.
The Stockholm press these days
displays a strong, il perhaps not
altogether spontaneous interest, In
German military preparations In
Scandinavian countries. The papers
yesterday spoke of Wholesale invasion
maneuvers conducted last Thursday
and Friday in the Norwegian dis
trict of Oestfold. Civilians were
forced to leave their homes with
their cattle at the shortest notice
measure which, presumably, die
not enhance the popularity of the
occupiers. The purpose of tht
maneuvers. the Swedish press says
was to ascertain if Fort Greaker i.
proof against sudden attack from
the sea
Coinciding with the much-adver.
tised manifestations of German
thoroughness in the north, news ha:
filtered through over the week enc
from Belgium that King Leopold
has been asked by Nazi Foreign
Minister Joachim Won Ribbentrop Il
form new collaborationist govern.
ment. while from Paris, it is learned
new proofs of his wish for German
victory have been demanded O.
Vichy's chief of government, Pierre
Laval.
A recent Parish dispatch to thu
Tribune de Geneve. which had tl
pass the German censors, indicate:
the Nazis are advertising their prep
arations in the south as well as the
north. The dispatch hints that tht
presence of Dakars governor gen.
eral, Pierre Boisson. in Vichy i.
clearly connected with Laval's new
difficulties.
Reason Is Clear.
The reason why all these stories
OF German preparedness against 8
second front reach neutral countries
from more or less German sources
is crystal clear. In the first place
German propaganda is aimed a,
counteracting the hopes created in
the occupied countries by the an
nouncement OF a coming Allied
landing. Secondly, the Nazi reports
are intended as bait for the Allied
command to test the thoroughness
Of German preparations for attack
at places where precautions have
not been advertised.
Meantime. the Nazis have reacted
to the Churchill-R Roosevelt joint
cornmunique in the usual light.
hearted manner when they want tc
impress the occupied countries with
the futility of Allied efforts.
The German press unanimously
stresses that, although war produc-
ton is the main Allied boast, /,
must now be admitted that produc.
ton has not even reached its maxi
mum. 1t also harps on what il
calls the Theatrical thunderstorm
against Winston Churchill following
the Libyan defeats.
tcopyriRht, 1912. by Chicaso Daily News