WEIGHTIEST YET

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1941, Page 9

WEIGHTIEST YET

RED ARMY BLOW

ASTONISHING EXPLANATION

BY GERMANS

RUGBY, December 1.

The Russian counter-offensive in th^ Rostov area is described by "Th« Times" as the weightiest and most el-., fective blow which the Red army has> yet delivered, though "only a single1 incident in a campaign which is in a 1 very grave situation for our allies."

"The Times" considers it proves thati the German successes have been large*! ly due to -heir ability during the first; four months of the war to prevent Rus-1 sian reorganisation. "Wherever the Russians have won themselves time to take breath their resistance has become far more effective and they have been able to organise counter-attacks, though none has yet been as successful as this," the paper says.

"It may be hoped that this action^ will have proved a good omen for the] issue on the Moscow front, where thar enemy progress has been much slower, of late than formerly, but where, unfortunately, there is all too little room •to spare. The relief gained at Rostov, even though the threat to the Caucasus will certainly be renewed, is a great, deal in itself. . More encouraging still is its proof that after five hard months of adversity the Russian spirit is still unbroken and still aggressive."

The German explanation of the withdrawal is called by "The Times" "a statement as astonishing as the history of warfare can produce.- Rather than admit that he was beaten out of Rostov, the enemy asks the world to believe that he merely left in order to exterminate civilians. He is not ashamed to pretend that his great armoured machine has withdrawn from contact with the legitimate foe at the moment when it stood oh the threshold of some sof the most vital objectives in Russia for the purpose of massacre on lines of communications. That pretence, together with the practice which it implies and confirms, in itself .constitutes an indictment from his own mouth more terrible and overwhelming than any previously lodged against him."—B.O.W.