SOVIET THREAT SEEN IN NEAR EAST

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22908, 3 January 1940, Page 7

SOVIET THREAT SEEN IN NEAR EAST

Afghanistan, Iran, And Turkey Prepare

RUMANIAN MOVE TO GUARD FRONTIER

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received January 2, 9.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 1

“It is reliably stated that Turkey is reinforcing her jastern and north-eastern defences,” says the Belgrade correspondent of the “New York Times.” “The new concentrations are based at Diyarbekir, Erzincan, and Kars, and already six of the 13 army corps are stationed east of Sivas. “It is understood that the new disposi- . tions will increase the military forces in east Turkey by about onethird. “Simultaneously, it is confirmed that Iran and Afghanistan are continuing . to strengthen their armies on the Russian frontier. “It is logical to believe that there are concrete indications of , Russian military movements between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. v “Rumania is re- - ported to have recently withdrawn three divi- < sions from Bessarabia, leaving one division of cavalry and three divisions of infantry east of the Pruth river. “In the event of an invasion, it is believed that Russia will press south between the Pruth and the Carpathians. Therefore, Rumania has two divisions of cavalry and 16 divisions of infantry round Cernauti, seven divisions on the Hungarian frontier and seven in the D,br uja .-V

ALLIES TO HELP FINLAND

League Notified Of

INITIATIVE TAKEN ON WHOLE FRONT

NO QUESTION OF SENDING MEN

FAILURE OF RUSSIAN ATTACKS. ■■

{Received January 2, 9.20 a.m,) LONDON, January 1. ! Britain has notified the Beagle of Nations that she b taking steps , tp jfive aW possible support to Finland in her gallant fight aprinst Russia- .

In a telegram to the secretary of the. League Council it is stated that whatever assistance li§g within Britsin'g- power will he given, It is hot yet known what form this assistance

■will take, There ,|s no question qf sending troop- tq I’inland.' Frgnce i§ taking similar steps,-and _ both. Powers will -yyprh; in glese coir \ labpfation. ' ” ' ' - '-Tn a New Year broadcast, the Prer v sident of Finland (M, Kypsti Rglliq) > expressed for the assistance givep to Finland, mentioning -pap.ticuiariy the volunteers from many foreign countries, “©lying the neaff few days," he said, "the enemy wifi ‘ makp the acquaintance Of Rjtß-.whQ, like ourselves, are fighting 'for- love --of'fpeedprn.”

SOVIET ARMY CHIEF HONOURED

MOiDOW, January 1. The Supreme Soviet, Council hgs conferred the Order of L? n m on the Chief of the General Staff, General Shagoshnikov, "for guccgggful guidance of Reel . Army operations." prdere Bave coj^ts. nected with the B§d AIW PUd with special construction- tasks"

GROUND HELD BY ' ' FINNS

(Received January 2, 2.20 p.m.) HELSINKI, January 1, Finland still holds her own. . New Russian attacks on the Mannerheixn Line, preceded by artillery barrages, resulted in violent fighting on; the Karelian Isthmus, also on the opposite side of Lake Ladoga round Kiteie, The Finns drove off the attacks. The defenders are feeling secure along the entire 800 miles of eaatepn fpppt nprth of Lake Ladoga, and are taking the initiative in all septprs,. including a' threat to Salmi--japvi, which is untenable as the RUS* sian base, but a temperature of 40 degrees below Zero is slowly immobilising this front, A Finnish communique ' states that fighting on December pi was most severe between Lake Hatj an and Lake Muola and the Suvanto and Taipale rivers, hut that the enemy attacks were futile. Patrol activity occurred elsewhere, particularly north-east of Lake Ladoga. Russian aeroplanes flew over Norway from Petsamo, and dropped two bqmbs on the river Pasig. Good flying weather enabled thri Russians to parry opt many air raids on. the southern towns, killing 20 civilians, but the material damage was small except , at Jyvaskylawasa. ■ Finnish aeroplanes dropped hOUIPS on the Russian rear. sit is unofficially stated that six Rpssian aeroplanes WOP? brought dqwn. .- The Swedish radio- stated that 50,000 Russian troops were massed ofi Leningrad en route to Karelia. Finnish tactics were bvercomirig the Russians at Kiantajarvi. The plans consist of surrounding and starving the Russians out to prepare for annihilation, in spite of the inferiority o| the Finnish numbers and equipment. The Russians, who had hoped to drive through to the Gulf of Bothnia in order to break Finland’s military backbone, blundered into the area between the arms of Lake Kianta. They could have fought their way out in normal weather, hut the Finns isolated them and opt Off their supplies and left exposure and laek of food to -complete the deadly work. They then attacked on the tenth day- ' The Russians resisted for three days, but it was all over on the fourth. Thousands of the invaders Were slaughtered and few survivors were strong enough to stand. , The Moscow ladie ani?oz;p£?dd that ixripoirta.rxt; tiaejt occurred at the Finnish front, Russian aircraft. successfully bombed certain parts of Finland. : ■ . A message from Helsinki says that Russian bombers set on fire the centre of Turku.