STALIN’S GREAT TANK BLUFF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 251, 5 August 1941, Page 5

STALIN’S GREAT TANK BLUFF.

RUSSIA’S SECRET STRENGTH. ONLY OLD TYPES IN PARADES.

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (Poe. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 4. German propaganda officials are now angrily accusing AT. Stalin of “ the greatest tank bluff since the tank was introduced, into warfare.” The Germans declare that the Russians displayed only old models of tanks at manoeuvres and parades, at which foreign military . attaches were present. Reporting this, the Stockholm corresppndent of the “Daily Express” says that the Germans declare that, when the Russians appeared in battle they had types of tanks the German High Command had never even heard about. At the outbreak of the war the Germans officially stated that the Russians had 9000, but the Russians had many more.

Hoping to achieve an early victory, the Germans, at the outbreak of hostilities, threw in two or three times the numerical strength of the Russian forces stationed on the Russian - German frontier, says the Moscow newspaper “Pravda.” “The German troops were numerically vastly superior to those ‘ employed in France, where 5000 first-line planes and 7500 tanks were used. These figures were almost doubled on the Eastern Front. It is obvious that Hitler believed that after defeating Russia he would have no difficulty in compelling England and America to accept peace terms favouring Germany. The Soviet forces thwarted the plans of Hitler’s gang, which completely under-estimated the strength of the Red Army and of the Soviet people. German troops encountered tremendous difficulties, and the growing strength and initiative of the Red Army compelled them in some places to pass to the defensive. A fierce struggle is ahead, but Russia confidently looks to the future because her resistance is growing daily and her counter-attacks are gaining in strength and force.