The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 28, 1941. THE WAR IN EUROPE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 258, 28 July 1941, Page 6

The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 28, 1941. THE WAR IN EUROPE

Readers of the confused and contradictory reports of the fighting in Eastern Europe have no doubt become conscious during the past few days of a definite impression that the position of the Russians is by no means as precarious as the German communiques have asserted. The Soviet armies appear to have been successful in adapting their tactics to the new conditions of warfare developed by the Getman armoured divisions. As the result of these it would seem t lat the 1914-18 idea of a continuous unbroken front has given place to a kind of general melee over the whole of the fighting, area to a considerable depth wherever the opposing armoured divisions are in contact; in addition, the adoption by the Russians of large-scale guerrilla tactics adds to the confused appearance of the situation. Points on the map, therefore, though suggestive of depths of penetration in certain areas, cannot be accepted as reliable indications of the actual state of the general campaign. The most significant indicator of this is the undoubted fact that the German timetable for this offensive. has been slowed down, and that to a degree that must be seriously interfering with the enemy s programme as a whole. The German people were assured that the campaign would be over in .a few weeks. 1 hat was five weeks ago, and there is yet no sign of any weakening of resistance or morale in the Soviet armies. On the contrary, according to reports, they are vigorously counter-attacking at every opportunity. Fuitheimoie, as the nights in Europe are now growing longer, the assistance being rendered by the Royal Air Force attacks in Western Germany will become increasingly effective, the extra hours of darkness enabling these to be pushed steadily eastward. The appearance of the great new “flying fortress” machines in these raids promises also a heavy intensification of the bombing in addition to the longer range o action. Berlin already has had a visit after a compai atively long period of quiescence, but this point marks. by no means the extreme range of the bombers; their ultimate goal, it has been stated, is much further east, where a considerable number- of military, objectives, beyond the range of the R.A.F. hitherto, have been established. This intensification of the pressure should be of timely and valuable assistance to the Russians, who by hard fighting and well-sustained morale may thus be able to prolong the campaign until the weather breaks for the winter. -