The Press SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1942. Withdrawal From Nalchik

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23789, 7 November 1942, Page 4

The Press SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1942. Withdrawal From Nalchik

The heavy German pressure in the eastern Caucasus, resulting in the Russian evacuation of Nalchik, appears to represent the opening of a new phase in the Caucasus campaign. Three weeks ago, when the Germans, after suffering tremendous losses of infantry, changed their tactics at Stalingrad, an intensification of the German attack in the Caucasus was generally forecast. The first stage of the new Caucasus offensive began with heavier enemy attacks in the Mozdok area, where the Germans had been held up in their drive eastwards towards the Caspian and south-east to the Grozny! oilfields. After several days of heavy fighting, in which they made some slight gains, the Germans were again held by the Russians, and in spite of the continued weight of their attacks they appear to have made no further advance in the Mozdok sector. In the western Caucasus also the Germans began by making some progress towards the Black Sea port of Tuapse. More recently, however, the Russian resistance appears to have stiffened, and although the Germans are probably still gaining ground in this area, their advance lias been small and very slow, and made at heavy cost. Nalchik, which is 55 miles south-west of Mozdok and about the same distance northwest of Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze), did not come into the news until Thursday's Soviet communique reported defensive fighting and a slight withdrawal in that area. At the same time the German Hign Command claimed the capture of the town, which was admitted in Monday’s Soviet communique. Since then fighting has been reported south-east of Nalchik. The German drive from Nalchik can be seen as part of the Germans’ general eastward thrust along the Caucasus, designed to assist the forces which have been held up at Mozdok, and also as an action with a special local significance—the capture •of the northern outlets of the two military roads which strike south across the mountains to Tiflis and Kutais. If the Germans advancing from Nalchik can cross the southern branch of the Terek river—and Axis reports say they have already reached it and are approaching Vladikavkaz—the left flank of the Russian forces defending Mozdok, and ultimately the Grozny! oilfields, i will be gravely threatened. Such an advance would also bring the Germans athwart the northern ends of the Ossetian Georgian mountain roads at Vladikavkaz. Even German reports suggest that it is probably now too late 'in the year for a southward thrust to be attempted down these roads and across the high Caucasus passes, but seizure of their northern ends, with some penetration of the foothills, v/ould enable the Germans to consolidate and prepare for a mountain campaign in the spring. At the same time it would prevent Russian reinforcements from reaching the Groznyi area from the south. The immediate result of the new German offensive is likely to be the development of a major battle in the Groznyi area, a battle which may decide whether the Germans are to reach the Caspian this year.