PUZZLING THE NAZIS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1942, Page 6

PUZZLING THE NAZIS

RUSSIAN STRATEGY

SOVIET DISPOSITIONS A SURPRISE

"(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 31.

The, German radio for the first time mentions "bitter German defensive actions*' west of Stalingrad. Marshal Timoshenko's strategy is not yet clear,, but seemingly the Germans wrongly believed he would make his strongest dispositions before Rostov and Stalingrad, for which reason they struck strongly towards Kletskaya and Tsimlyansk, hoping to split the Russian armies and achieve de-

vastating encirclements,

In this

they were disappointed. / Keltskaya is approximately 80 miles north-west of Stalingrad. Nobody attempts to deny the seriousness of the German penetration south from Ros-1 toy, but Marshal Timoshenko's strategy undoubtedly is puzzling the Germans, who are meeting stiffest resistance' where they did not expect it—at Kelt-] skaya, where the Russians, appear to lbe: holding their own after eight days tol bitter fighting, and also at Tsimlyjansk, where a prolonged battle is still paging furiously. ; The battering-ram designed to smash (through and around Rostov has not <been strongly opposed. ■■'-..