FIERCE BATTLES NEAR MOSCOW

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23494, 24 November 1941, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLES NEAR MOSCOW

Russians Defend Stubbornly GERMANS CLAIM FALL OF ROSTOV (VKITED MESS ASSOCIATION—COPyaiOHT.) (Received November 23, 11 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. The Germans have not slackened their assaults on the distant approaches to Moscow. Sanguinary battles have been proceeding for three days, says the Moscow radio. The Russians are stubbornly holding the enemy. Thousands of Germans corpses, wrecked tanks, and armoured units are scattered in the fields and on the roads. In spite of the enormous losses of men and material, the enemy is still trying to break through to Moscow. The Germans possess tank superiority but are unable to pierce the Russian defences in depth, although as a result of overwhelming pressure Russian troops at isolated points were obliged to leave fortified positions and fall back to prearranged positions where they , are arranging counter-attacks. Heavy fighting continues in the direction of Mozhaisk, where the enemy brought into action four infantry divisions. Many tanks attempted to break through but failed. The Germans at one point in the southern sector of the Moscow front threw in an entire infantry division and 40 tanks. Fighting continued throughout Thursday night. The Russians counterattacked next day and hurled back the Germans. A vast machine-gun and mine-thrower battle is proceeding in the Kalinin sector, where the Germans have brought up large reinforcements. The Tass agency says that the erection of fortified defence lines round Moscow is nearing completion. A strong fortifications system now bars Hie way to the capital. Thousands of women are engaged on the work. The Germans again broke through at some points in the Tula sector but were halted. , The Berlin radio announced that German infantry and artillery in conjunction took Russian positions southwards of Moscow, thereby widening the breach in the Moscow defence lines. Thirty-one thousand miles of railway out of a total in Russia of 59,000 were now in German hands. Most of the remainder was exposed to attack by the Luftwaffe. The German High' Command claimed yesterday that German forces had captured Rostov pn the Don after violent fighting. The Russians have not confirmed this, but the “Red Star” says that in a new offensive against Rostov the Germans hurled in large forces, including a great number of vehicles, especially tanks. The defenders were fighting courageously but were being forced to retreat under pressure: numerically superior forces, The Germans weresustaining " heavy losses; In two days they lost more then 50 tanks, large numbers of infantry, and much artillery. ,

Tlie Berlin cprerspondent of- the Stockholm. newspaper "“Svenska ■ Dag' bladet” says that the war-in the east; is gradually developing into a war of attrition. German military, authorities are now engaged in working out the details for, an attack against the Caucasus. Troops are being specially trained for mountain warfare. The losses, in Russia'have been particularly heavy among German officers. Many members of historic. families have fallen on the battlefields.. The German forces on the Moscow front have been powerfully reinforced, particularly with artillery. The German objective is still the encirclement of Moscow, but progress is dangerously slow in proportion to the losses. The Moscow , newspaper “Pravda" says the situation on the Moscow front is more serious than it has been in the last month and it is necessary for the Russians still further to increase their strong resistance. “The Germans are attempting to take Moscow at all costs in order to escape the winter cold,” the newspaper says. "The Russians, who are stronger than they have been in the last month, must hold the enemy now and inflict such a blow that the enemy will be defeated.” ..ccording to the Moscow radio, the German forces engaged at the, approaches to Moscow are probably the largest ever used there. Concentrations of tanks and infantry opened the offensive in the Volokolamsk direction, resulting in a 24-hour battle, with the Germans constantly throwing in fresh forces. The Russian tanks retreated to new fortified, lines on a highway which the Germans were trying to use for their advance. Russian counter-attacks checked the enemy. There was important fighting in the direction of Mozhaisk throughout Friday night with the Axis using four divisions, said the Moscow radio. The enemy attacked incessantly, completely disregarding losses which amounted to 20 tanks and half a battalion of infantry in one sector alone. There were no important developments in the Malo YarOslavets sector but there had been bitter street fighting in the Tula sector. Soviet units who were counter-attacking met con-

siderable German resistance at a rail* way-station near Tala. ' - ■ A Russian gun batteryon the Lenin* - grad front annihilated 800 Germans and destroyed six enemy, forts. ' ; A unit operating on the southern front wiped out 2000 German ‘mkjngs British tanks are .-now in . action on the Ukraine front. , It is announced in Berlin that a German infantry general, von Briesen, has been killed on .the Russian front. The latest fightlpg, on. the Moscow front indicates that ‘Marshal Zhukovhas now taken the measure of the Gar* mans, and the Germans and.Russians are meeting*on approximately equal' terms on the Kalinin-Tula arc. This is the view of-the Stockholm correspondent of. “The Times,” who states that the German efforts on. both wingj were ferocious, throughout Wednesday, but the position on Thursday was largely restored, though the, Germans apparently still hold a few extra square miles south-east of Tula, which they gained in Wednesday’s tank onslaught. The main fighting zone on the northern half of the Moscow front,remains where it was a fortnight ago, In the vicinity of Volokolamsk. There are signs that, owing, to hurried and inadequate preparations, the Germans are unable to maintain the pace set at the beginning of the week, for which reason the present operations must be considered local,, similar to • those Moscow previously experienced. The fact that Marshal Zhukov was able to nip these attempts in the bud Indicates that the Germans' long communications and other preoccupations had allowed the, Russians to catch up with reinforcements and concentrate on strengthening and deepening the defences, especially against attacks.on the flanks round Kalinin and Tula. The Germans are expected to launch further attacks, but few ‘now doubt Moscow’s ability to withstand all onslaughts throughout the long . grand opera season, which opened in .Moscow almost as usual, ' . Bitter fighting is reported by the Tass News Agency on a number of sectors on the Moscow front. Since the Germans launched their offensive on Tuesday night, it is claimed, all attacks have been beaten off with heavy losses.Weygand’s removal has delighted the German Government. , . . In Washington, the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) said he was trying to assemble all possible facts about French collaboration with Germany. The “New York Times” states that there are excellent reasons for believing that even if General Weygand disappears from the North African scene the United States will hesitate about breaking with Vichy. Before the State Department finally, breaks off relations it will want indisputable proof that the French have decided to lend direct military assistance to the Germans. The newspaper states - that on the information so far available General Weygand’s dismissal cannot be thus interpreted. The view of the British press in general is that Marshal Petain's willingness to remove General Weygand implies that further demands nave been made by Hitler for the control and use of French North African territory, and, in particular, the ports. The importance of the changed situ* ' ation which might arise in the Mediterranean as a result of this potent Nazi menace are fully appreciated. General Weygand’s dismissal has stunned the French public, says the correspondent of “The Times” on the French frontier. It is generally believed that his departure will be a prelude to more important events, such as new German claims regarding North African territories and ports, to which Vichy may agree. The loss of General Huntziger and General Weygand lessens resistance to collaboration. ■ ' Authoritative sources in London state that General Weygand’s dismissal,/ was precipitated by. the British ad~ vance in Libya. A Vichy message states that there is no official reaction , to.- the United States suspension of economic assist-' ance to North Africa, , Hit