Evening star., 1944-08-27
War Review
Collapse in Balkans to
Speed Nazi Defeat
Bv Howard p. Bailey,

OpceQ lNdZl DcIcdC
BY Howard p. Bailey. I
Hitier's house of conquest, which
had developed many serious cracks
In recent months, began to collapse
In earnest last week when the Bal
kan side was fatally weakened by
the action of King Michael in not
only taking Romania out of the
war, but in reversing position by
declaring war on Germany.
This development coming with
dramatic suddenness probably pre-
sages similar action by other small
nations which fell under the might
Of German arms in the preliminary
phases Of the war.
The position in the Balkans Is
seriously complicated for the Nazis
now, because loss of Romania hits
Hitler in two vulnerable spots, food
and fuel. The huge grain fields Of
Romania were one vital source of
German wheat and this years crops
are reported still in Romanian
hands. The PloeSti Oil fields, badly
crippled as they were after inces-
SAINT air raids, still were Hitler's
principal source OF natural oil, and
without this oil his mechanical
force cannot long continue to func-
ton. In fact, the effects of the
steady bombing of Ploesti and the
synthetic plants have already been
evident on the various fighting
fronts. Many an abandoned Nazi
vehicle, tank, armored car, truck
and so forth, has been found in
perfect running order, but with the
fuel tanks bone dry.
Montgomery Predicts Victory.
Even before Romania's shift of
1oyalties, 1t. Gen. Montgomery
highly elated by the successes in
Northern France, told his men. THE
end of the war is in sight. Let us
finish off the business in record
time"
Tuesday it was reported from
Turkey that Bulgaria had put out
new peace feelers, Foreign Minister
Draganov declaring that Bulgaria is
too small to take part in World
War and that her interests were
purely Balkan HaiS said to have
indicated a willingness to retire as
a Nazi ally if Bulgaria would be per-
mitted to retain a part of Thrace
and Macedonia and an outlet to the
Aegen Sea. The proposal met
cold reception, but Bulgaria's days
in the war are definitely limited.
Wednesday the Finnish Minister
to Sweden, G. A. Gripenberg, left
for Helsinki in an obvious effort to
get Finland out of the war.
Peace Terms Accepted.
Late Wednesday afternoon came
the proclamation over "the Bucha-
rest radio that Romania had accept
ed the Allied peace terms including
unconditional surrender and re-
pudiation of the Vienna agreement
which awarded part of Romania's S
Transylvania to Hungary. The fol-
lowing day war was declared on
Germany and German planes
bombed Bucharest. Romanian
troops were in sharp clashes with
Nazis still in Romania and other
Romanian forces started a march
into Hungarian Pennsylvania.
1t was reported Friday that a re-
shutting of Hungary's government is
now under way, the former admins
tration having shown a pleasing
disinclination to continue fighting |
on the Nazi side. Like Romania,
Hungary paid heavily from the
flower of her army in the ill-fated
Nazi effort to conquer Russia's Cau-
casian oil fields. After reverses in
that theater the Hungarians refused
to fight further save to protect their
own borders and, early this year,
the Nazis moved in to take control.
The present prospects in the
Balkans are that Bulgaria shortly
will join Romania in withdrawing
from the war and as not too gentle
reminder to Bulgaria that times
awasting. Budapest was heavily
bombed during the week. A Mos
COX dispatch late yesterday reports.
in fact, that Bulgaria has served
warning on Hitler to withdraw his
troops or they will be disarmed.
Nazi Losses Set at 2O5,000.
Meantime, while this maneuvering
In the diplomatic field was under
way, powerful Russian forces were
striking deeply into Romania. Iasi,
former capital and the nations
fourth largest city, fell to the Reds
on Tuesday. BY yesterday the Reds
were barely so miles from Ploesti
and had reached the outer defenses
of Galati Gap. Moscow claimed
that since the start of the drive, the
NaziS have lost 100000 in killed and
los, 900 in prisoners
While Hitler faced this terrific
threat in the Balkan area, on the
remainder of the Russian front the
situation grew increasingly menac-
ing. Far north in the Baltic area,
the Reds had reached the beaches
of Riga and another Soviet army
was driving a deep wedge between
INorcouJ ond Eoct AIuo~ooe |