News on War fronts this day in 1941.
British were moving rapidly toward an occupation of Syria to prevent axis forces from using it as a base. The London press continued to urge such action vigorously but the government has not hinted its Intentions. The Turkish radio at Ankara was heard broadcasting a Pan-Arab news agency report that large numbers of Germans with Bulgarian passports were traveling to Syria where, it was alleged. Germans rapidly were taking over control.
Axis commentators insisted that if a new Axis offensive, presumably the Eastern Mediterranean, would get underway almost immediately. The Italian spokesman. Virginio Gayda said the Axis powers have Made made plans for dealing with possible U. S.intervention in the war and added “this is the moment for action.” London feared that unless the British acted swiftly in Syria the Axis would insist that France call upon Germany and Italy to “protect” Syria, thus giving an ostensible reason for entry of Axis troops into the area.
Meanwhile, The German High Command proclaimed today that “the battle for Crete is ended” and declared the only defenders left on the island were 13,000 prisoners of war. The last resistance was smashed the communique said, when German forces occupied the harbor of Sphakion, on the south coast toward the western end of the island, which was the last center of Allied defense. To reach Sphakion, Nazi mountain forces had to subdue last-ditch British fighters in the mountains north of the city and 3000 more prisoners were taken there. 10,000 Captured Sunday These were in addition to about 10,000 Britons and Greeks claimed Sunday by the High Command as captured in the fierce, 12-day windup of the Axis Balkan campaign.
And finally – Friedrich Wilhelm Victor ALbert known to the world as Kaiser Bill, died at his home-in-exile at Doorn, Holland, today. He was 82. The world that concentrated its hate upon him 25 years ago now concentrates its detestation on another German “war lord” who was a lowly corporal in the armies the Kaiser led in the first World war. Wilhelm, born 11 years before the Franco-Prussian war (January 27, 1859). Kaiser Wilhelm II saw Germany develop from a collection of independent states to an empire under his father and the “Iron Chancellor” Bismarck. History has already softened its verdict as to Kaiser Wilhelm’s responsibility for the first World war. Certain, it is however, that no one man was more responsible for that bloody struggle. Kaiser Wilhelm has never felt free to say what he thinks of Adolf Hitler.
And that’s just a small slice of what happened, this June 4, 1941 as reported by NBC’s News Of The World.
