ON 1941 LINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 62, 14 March 1944, Page 5

ON 1941 LINE

WHERE NAZIS STARTED

Germans Admit Withdrawal

Of Forces

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright

Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 13

The German news agency's military commentator said to-day: "In some places German troops who had to give ground reached the line from which they started out in 1941."

Moscow has not reported such a phenomenal break-through, which coiHd be only in the Sarny-Kovel salient, south of the Pripet Marshes, where the Russians were last reported at Luck, about 50 miles from the new Russo-Polish border fixed by Ribbentrop and Molotov in 1939.

To-night's Russian communique says that the Russians advancing south-west of Voloehysk captured a district centre and a number of inhabited localities. Russians in Proskurov direction, after beating off counter-attacks, waged offensive battles and occupied several localities, including some large ones.

In Vinnitsa area the Red Army passed to the offensive and occupied three district centres in Vinnitsa region, including Lipovets, and also fought their way into a number of inhabited localities, including several large ones. A successful offensive continued to develop south-west and south of Uman.

West of Kirovograd the Russians captured the district centre and over 100 other inhabited localities. West of Krivoi Rog they captured the district centre of Krivoi Rog region and over 50 inhabited localities. The offensive was continued south-west of Vshivoie, where the district centre and more than 120 inhabited localities were occupied.

The communique, after mentioning the capture of Kherson, adds that during the week ended yesterday forces of the Third Ukrainian Front destroyed 115 tanks, 64 selfpropelled guns, 390 guns, 230 mortars, 950 machine-guns, 68 armoured vehicles, 57 tractors and 3820 lorries.

The Germans left 20,000 dead. In the same period troops of the Third Ukrainian Front captured 87 tanks, 60 self-propelled guns. 338 guns, 142 mortars, 1077 machineguns, 48 armoured vehicles, 121 tractors, 5384 lorries and a large number of dumps, ammunition and war material, also 2500 prisoners.

TO BE RESUMED

Russo-Italian Diplomatic Relations MESSAGE SENT TO STALIN Rec. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 13. It is officially announced in Naples that Russian and Italian diplomatic relations will be resumed. Ambassadors will be exchanged.

Marshal Badoglio, in a message to Marshal Stalin, said: "The whole Italian nation is convinced of the desirability of bringing Russoltalian relations back to the basis of constructive, friendly co-opera-tion. whi£h was temporarily and tragically abandoned by the regime we to-day are fighting together."

UPRISING ORDERED

CZECHOSLOVAKIA'S HOUR

LONDON, Mar. 13

An order to Czechoslovakia to change over from passive to active resistance, developing an "armed uprising of all people against the foreign invader," has been broadcast by the Czechoslovak Government in London. . x The Press Association points out that the appeal is made with the Red Army lighting within 100 miles of the Czechoslovakian border.