HERO OF OREL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 27 September 1943, Page 6

HERO OF OREL

GEN. ROKOSSOVSKY

RUSSIA'S BOY WONDER

General Konstantin Konstantinovitch Rokossovsky, hero of the defence of Moscow and the relief of Stalingrad, of the capture of Orel, and how of the drive to the Dnieper, emerges in Moscow dispatches as one of the smartest strategists of the war. Unlike generals of the highlytouted German staff, who, with certain exceptions, move invariably "according to plan," Rokossovsky exhibits in high degree a genius for flexibility and improvisation. Contrary to the theory generally publicised earlier, that the German offensive on the Kursk salient at the beginning of July was designed simply to forestall an anticipated Russian offensive, it was in reality the beginning of an all-out German summer campaign. Rokossovsky, commanding the defenders, held "the German drive except for some penetrations near Byelgorcd. It was apparently not intended at this time that the Russians should take the offensive. But after the Germans had reached the peak of their attacks and suffered from some exhaustion through immense losses following 200 hours of sustained assaults, Rokossovsky ordered a counter-attack on the Kursk salient and simultaneously a strong feint against Orel. The army south of Orel made the first attack, and a short time later the armies east and north struck. M. S. Handler, United Press correspondent, reported that the Russian High Command was surprised at the blitzkrieg success of the southern army. When the Germans launched their first offensive against Moscow, in 1941, Rokossovsky broke out of a near encirclement and retreated north fighting. Outnumbered three to one, his forces put 200 German tanks and 29,000 troops out of action. One of his ideas was to make mass Cossack raids on the enemy's rear. This year, after collaboration with other generals in the encircling of 250,000 Germans before Stalingrad, with Artillery-Marshal Voronov, he completed their destruction. Rokossovsky, big, bluff, handsome, is called the boy wonder of the Soviet Command. He is 38.— i\M.