Evening star., 1942-03-17
Hitler AIibis


In Berlin, presumably from his secret
headquarters on the Eastern front,
and made a speech on the German
Memorial Day. Officially known as
Heroes Day" to commemorate SOL
diers fallen in past combats. it was
instituted only two years ago, and it
is interesting to compare the
Fuehrer's address last Sunday with
those on the two previous occasions.
The inaugural address, in mid
March of 1910. was delivered when
the gigantic German war machine,
tuned up during the first war winter,
was poised to deliver its smashing
blows from Norway to France. At
that time, Hitler assured mis- hearers
by swearing holy oath" that the
war would end Gin the most glorious
victory in German history" In mid
March of last year, on the eve of his
Balkan campaign, he was equally
confident, determined to end what
started the year before" His pre-
diction that England will fall" was
made without qualification.
Very different was the tone and
language Of the Fuehrer on this
third anniversary as he addressed a
select audience of party and military
men in the glasS-roofed courtyard of
the Arsenal Museum on Unter den
Linden. His speech was brief. for
him, lasting only about twenty min
utes, and when the stock verbiage is
deleted, it contained little that was
specifically heartening to his hearers.
Gone were the confident optimism
and aSSertive predictions of former
days. His audience was warned of
the stern struggle which lay ahead
and the prolongation OF trials now
being endured.
Rather curiously, Hitler's first
point was a left-handed slap at the
Vichy regime for its failure to ac-
knowledge Frances responsibility for
starting the war in its conduct of
the Riom trials currently proceeding.
But he soon got into his main topic,
which was discussion of the Rus
sian campaign. Here he did not
minimize the enormous difficulties
encountered during the summer Of
fenSive, described as IAN endless
road" on which the invaders "at-
tackled and annihilated again and
again ever-renewed Russian forces,
only to meet further masses of men"
Then Hitler trotted out his chief
abba winter which he asserted
began abnormally early and was of
unprecedented severity. He admitted
that the Germans have averted the
fate of Napoleon's grand army only
by "a superhuman struggle, stalking
the utmost strength of soul and
body" OF course, Hitler predicted
that the Red Army will be annihi-
'latingly defeated by U.S." However, it
is noteworthy that this crowning
victory is placed "in the coming
summer" as previously indi-
Gated, this spring.
That may mean much or little.
The willy Fuehrer is not won't to pub
lish his strategic timetables. and
indications are that the winter has
been devoted to tremendous prepa-
rations for a new German offensive
on grand scale. But Russian
springs are late, except in the Ukraine
and the Crimea, and after a hard
winter like the one now closing, the
ground in Central and Northern
Russia may not be dry enough for a
mechanical offensive before middle
or late May. Meanwhile, the Red
Army is making the most of the tail
end of winter by hammering hard at
the German-held key points which
could serve as Springboards for the
expected German drive. If those
Russian attempts succeed, Hitler's
promised victory on the Eastern front
may indeed be adjourned to an in
definite future