DO OR DIE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1941, Page 7

DO OR DIE

HITLER'S THRUST

\ MUCH PROGRESS MADE

GREAT AIR ATTACKS

(By Telegraph—Press .Association —Copyright.)

(Rec. 12.40 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 6,

With many quarters believing that Hitler has committed himself to "doing or dying" on the road to Moscow, tremendous public interest centres tonight on the progress of the latest German offensive.

The military writer of "The Times" declares that the offensive aimed at Moscow has made considerable progress despite the strong Eussia resistance.

Swedish correspondents in Berlin describe the weight of the Luftwaffe attacks preceding the new offensive as enormous, and Berlin claims that these attacks have produced complete among the Russian communications behind the front.

Because Moscow is identified with the core of Russia's spiritual and administrative resistance, observers tend to concentrate their attention on the German two-pronged movement against the Soviet capital, but apparently the Germans are also endeavouring to smash towards important objectives in other sectors. The slackening of the attack against Leningrad may be only relative, because the latest Soviet dispatches describe fierce fighting on the approaches to that city.

Reuters Moscow correspondent ,declares that, despite enormous German troop concentrations in the Leningrad area, the Russians believe the city is no longer under immediate threat of capture. Communications are maintained with Leningrad by road and rail, and Leningrad's industries are still carrying on despite considerable difficulties. The Red fleet in the Baltic is also in no immediate danger. The Russians point out that unless the Germans unexpectedly score an enormous success they are faced with the task of keeping perhaps a million men under inclement conditions in the Leningrad sector, with their supply problems daily becoming increasingly difficult.

The Tass news agency reported from Leningrad today that the Nazis were making huge sacrifices of men and heavy equipment in attempts to smash Leningrad's defence line. These attempts were, repeatedly repulsed.

A German communique states: "The offensive operations on the Eastern Front brought fresh successes yesterday. The Germans repulsed landing attempts east of Leningrad by strong Soviet forces supported by the Kronstadt batteries and coastal artillery. Simultaneously/ a violent attempt from within to break through the encirclement collapsed. The enemy suffered heavy and bloody losses."