BATTLE FOR WARSAW ENTERS FINAL STAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 182, 3 August 1944, Page 5

BATTLE FOR WARSAW ENTERS FINAL STAGE

[RED FORCES POISED Street Fighting Raging :•."'" X- In Outskirts ; .. ■ N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. noon. LONDON, Aug. 2. - '=.;' TH6. British United Press correspondent in Moscow declared that the battle for Warsaw has entered its final- stage. Marshal Rokossovsky has"crushe% several more points of resistance on the outskirts of the icity-' and his troops are now poised For a massive frontal assault against the city. The whole German line -ea.st.J3f-.the city is. in a state of ext&erne "tension before the massed weight _'oi the Red Army. '•'rßeuters correspondent in Moscow says' street fighting is raging in the north-east, outskirts of Warsaw. Other Moscow reports say Russian guns.and bombers are giving strong support, to the Soviet armies as they go .-.iorward through the slowiy crumbling German defences. '???£: In Open Fighting • 'The Polish Government in London has; issued the follov.'ing official communique: "The delegate of the Polish. Government in Poland and the '. Commander-in-Chief of the Polish . Underground Army, reports that at 5 p.m. yesterday units of the -polish Underground Army started appen fighting for the seizure of the polish, capital of Warsaw from the Germans.".The Polish forces, which total between 20,000 and 25,000 men, are led ,by General Bors. _r "The entire German line east of Warsaw is collapsing," states a .•Mqscow message." The Russian "iforces. i advancing south-west of ;Blalystok are pushing the enemy "towards the River Bug, and have already started to clear the northern ■banks. Marshal Hokossovsky has ibrought.'his forces to the gates of Warsaw, ../almost . unscathed by 'counter-attacks by marching them alprig forest!paths and tracks while special shock troops have borne the .hrunt of. the fighting along the main Jtegixway." : ..•Berlin radio, quoting a German High" Command.report to-night, said: "A. Strong Russian force has crossed the River Vistula south-east of Warsaw and established a second bridgehead."