THE LATEST CONFUSED PICTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 249, 2 August 1941, Page 6

THE LATEST

CONFUSED PICTURE.

EASTERN FRONT OPERATIONS. BATTLES WITHIN BATTLES. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 1. The position on the Russian-German front nt the close of the sixth weeK of the war is so confused that some correspondents wonder whether it can ever be straightened out. Countless men and machines are .whirling and swaying in mixed-up battles, and battles within battles. “The Times”, correspondent on the German frontier says it is impossible to distinguish clearly which side is more encircling and which is more encircled. To the chargin of the Germans the campaign has still the appearance of a deadlock. “The Times” military correspondent advances the opinion that it is more likely the two great armies are locked in a decisive struggle than that anything in the nature of a 1 stalemate has been reached, and adds that all that can be said with certainty at present is that Hitler’s original blitzkrieg has spent its force and there are signs'that the initiative may he passing from Hitler’s hands.

Marshal Budenny is dropping parachutists every night behind the German lines, thus replacing snipers, saboteurs and guerillas as fast as they are mopped up. Experts in Berlin admit that Marshal Budenny successfully accomplished the object of holding, up the Germans until the Ukraine harvest was brought in. The Berlin News Agency claims that Russian tank units were thrown back when attempting to break through north-eastwards of Smolensk, where they were encircled. The Germans smashed encircled Soviet detachments southwards of Smolensk after heavy fighting. The Russians lost 10,000 killed and 35,000 taken prisoner. The Hungarian communique states: “German and Rumanian troops in the southern sector encircled and destroyed a Soviet division. The Germans and Rumanians continue to advance.”