HEROIC RUSSIANS

Evening Star, Issue 23991, 16 September 1941, Page 7

HEROIC RUSSIANS

LESSON IN TOTAL DEFENCE “ NOT A QUISLING AMONG THEM " (British Official Wireless.) 11UGBY, Sept. 14. A tribute was paid to the Russian people and the city of Leningrad in a broadcast by Mr Frank Owen, editor of the London ‘ Evening Standard,’ who recalled memories of the city during a visit some years ago. Mr Owen said: “ Tho world stands in astonishment and awe before the Russian miracle—the superb rising of 190,000,000 people as one man against the invader. The Russians have given a new meaning to total war. With Hitler, this meant only total destruction—of tho other fellow’s property and life. The Russians have taught tho barbarous Germans something stronger—namely, total defence. What cannot be defended against the enemy shall at any rate ho denied him. If the Russians cannot hold it no German shall. They burn their own homes and farms and fields, destroying everything they ever had or loved or toiled for. They have called in the flames to help them as the valiant Dutch once let in the waters. These peasants have left nothing on their earth o,xccpt their dead. Men, women, and children —not a laggard, not a coward, and not a Quisling among them! We are in the presence of one of the sublime acts of history. Wo here in England, which has given so much, have the right to say this,” Mr Owen went on. “ The Russians have paid for their devotion. There was Smolensk, that blocked the road to Moscow—it does not exist any more. Gomel was a fortress—it is now a tomb. This is the kind of price paid for a battle that has gone on for 90 days and nights with no respite and no relief, the greatest and grimmest mechanised massacre of all time.

Now Leningrad stands in the path of the Germans. It has the honour, with London, to be the Nazi target of the day,” Mr Owen concluded. “ The bombers that have pounded us and now pound Leningrad are the same, and are bombing with the same terrible purpose—the destruction of the last barriers against Nazism. What Leningrad endures to-night has been our lot, and will be so again if this great fortress is now reduced. In the furnace of Leningrad our fate is cast, and there on that cruel anvil is now being welded the common destiny of all the brave, patient, unconquerable common people of this earth.” KIEV STANDS FAST RINGED BY POWERFUL FORTIFICATIONS TOWN MAY HAVE TO BE SACRIFICED LONDON, September 14. While the battle for Leningrad dominates the Russo-German war in Western thoughts, Moscow’s morning news of the withdrawal from the big industrial town of Kermenchug claims attention. This move, besides, of course, indicating that the Germans have crossed the lower Dnieper, greatly increases the danger of complete encirclement of Kiev, which is already .accentuated by the Russian retirement from Chcrnikov. Kiev, however, stands fast, ringed by powerful fortifications, with a big belt of swamp country forming a natural barrier to the north-eastern approaches, now made treacherous by heavy rains. Marshal Budenny may yet sacrifice Kiev to save 100,000 troops there and keep his front intact. In the meantime it is imperative that the Russians hold the banks of the Dnieper as long as possible, and so delay the destruction of valuable industries in the Don basin.

British help for the Russians by air must be welcome now that air battles over Leningrad are approximating the Battle of Britain. Moscow to-day mentions one in which 100 enemy aircraft were engaged, of which 17 were destroved and the remainder driven off.

IN LENINGRAD WATERS TWO NAZI DESTROYERS SUNK MOSCOW, September 15. The ‘ Izvestia ’ has reported that two German destroyers were sunk in the first attempt to enter the Leningrad approaches. THE THIRTEENTH WEEK MOSCOW’S GIBE AT HITLER LONDON, September 14. The Moscow radio recalled that the beginning of the thirteenth week of the German-Russian war marked the 129th anniversary of Napoleon’s march into Moscow. Napoleon’s time-table from the day he invaded Russia until ha reached Moscow was 83 days. After eighty-five days, following Napoleon’s path, Hitler is still 200 miles from Moscow. The announcer proceeded; “Adolf Hitler, you are a miserable ape of Napoleon. You bloody dilettante of the century. How do you like Moscow? Have you seen the Kremlin yet? Napoleon reached the Kremlin, hut what ho saw there was the writing on the wall that spelled disaster. Hitler, you megalomaniac, you will never see the Kremlin, you vain fool. Like a mad dog you have thrown yourself on Mi-< Russians and like a mad dog you will be exterminated.’’ BULGARIA'S ATTITUDE WILL RUSSIA DECLARE WAR? LONDON, Sept. 15. The belief is held that Russia will soon declare war on Bulgaria, enabling the Soviet to attack Bulgarian Black Sea ports. The object of such attacks would be to disperse Axis naval forces assembling in those ports with the apparent aim of moving against Odessa, the Crimea, or the Russian Caucasus.