STALINGRAD THWARTS NAZI CONQUEST PLAN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 3

STALINGRAD THWARTS NAZI CONQUEST PLAN

CITY WILL HOLD ON

Farmers And Workers Will

Keep Up Supplies

Ii.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 5. Stalingrad's provincial committee of the Communist party has snatched time off from the battle for a meeting at which it reaffirmed to hold on at all costs. Farmers and workers from other parts of the province advised that they will keep the city supplied. Officials maintain that the defence of Stalingrad has thwarted Hitler's plan to throw troops against the Russians all along the front from Moscow to Baku.

The Russians have suffered a setback in the vital factory area in the north-west, where two days ago they succeeded in recapturing part of the area occupied by the invaders. A series of heavy tank and infantry attacks has forced them to withdraw once again.

Elsewhere at Stalingrad the Russians are holding firmly and the Germans have been unable to make any further progress despite constant bombardment by artillery and bombers.

Soviet Thrusts Developing

Marshal Timoshenko's thrusts, both north-west and south-west of the city, are still continuing to develop successfully. The Germans have established strong defensive systems, but these are being slowly broken up.

In the eastern Caucasus at Mosdok the Germans have not succeeded in making any further progress since they penetrated and partly occupied a fortified town.

On the Black Sea front at Tuapse the enemy's two-pronged drive is also held up, both on the coast and in the western spur of the mountains.

Two more Axis commanders have been killed on the Russian battlefront, one a German tank general and the other the commander of a Hungarian division.

The Soviet morning report says the Germans at heavy cost have pushed forward slightly in the workers' settlement of Stalingrad. Elsewhere the Russians have repulsed the attacks.

Grim battles rage incessantly for the north-western factory suburb, says the Daily Telegraph correspondent. The Germans had left until last evening this strong area, with its modern factories and blocks of brick or concrete workers' dwellings, but now they are in a hurry to blitz their way across it. The Russians are so skilful in street, fighting and so steady in containing the heaviest thrusts that the Germans are finding increasing difficulty in maintaining the pace of their thrust. Rumours circulated in Switzerland and broadcast by Axis propagandists that M. Stalin has relinquished the Defence Commissariat are explicitly discredited in Moscow, says a New York message. The following message has been received from the Associated Press correspondent at Moscow: "M. Stalin remained leader of the Red Army, although Marshal Shaposhnikoff was raised on his 60th birthday as an eminent leader."

The erroneous report was apparently due to a misunderstanding of Russian broadcasts regarding the birthday congraiulai '■••ns.

AUSTRALIAN LOAN

COMMENT FROM CANADA Rec. 9.30 a.m. OTTAWA, Oct, 5. Broadcasting to Australia in connection with the Commonwealth's loan campaign, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. W. Mackenzie King, said that Canada would shortly launch a similar campaign. He added: "Our war loans are essential, not only for the immediate prosecution of the war and the attainment of victory, but equally for the achievement of a new world order, Every Allied victory," he said, "brings the struggle nearer its close, so money cannot too quickly and too largely be subscribed." Referring to the anniversary of Mr. Curtin's assumption of the office of Prime Minister, he said: "I know something of the responsibilities of the leader of a Government in wartime. I therefore extend congratulations to Mr. Curtin on so significant an anniversary."

WAGE STABILISATION

LABOUR BEHIND PRESIDENT

Rec. 10 a.m. WASHINGTON. Oct. 5

William Green has pledged the fullest co-operation of the American Federation of Labour with President Roosevelt's wage stabilisation order. The American Federation of Labour in conference has urged President Roosevelt to establish an overall board of economic and military strategy. It also called for a psychological offensive through fomenting popular revolts against Axis leaders.

U.S. SUBMARINE LOST

British Official Wireless Rec, noon. RUGBY, Oct. 5. The Navy Department, Washington, has announced that the submarine Grunion is overdue in the Pacific and must. be presumed lost. This i.- the fifth American submarine In.-;.