The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1943. FACING DISASTER.

Evening Star, Issue 25004, 25 October 1943, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1943. FACING DISASTER.

The Russian break-through south-east of Kremenchug caused no inconsiderable flutter in the Berlin dovecote, and with that flutter came a. change in the tone of the enemy's radio announcements, airy references to withdrawals according to plan giving way to statements which left no doubt that the Germans were engaged in a very stiff defensive phase on the outcome of which much depended. The loss of Melitopol, into the battle for which the Nazis poured reserves' regardless of cost, is a serious blow adding greatly to the shadow of crushing defeat already hanging low over the Wehrmacht in the Crimea and the Southern 'Ukraine. Two things may enaible the Germans there to avert a disaster which the ' Observer ' saj-s would be greater than Stalingrad!—a successful counter-attack of sufficient intensity to force the Russians well back, or an orderly extrication of their forces from the Crimea. Both look forlorn hopes, oven allowing for the fact that in war it is often the unexpected that happens. The Germans have already launched counter after counter, only to add to then already appalling losses, and, had they the reserves to launch a counter on a scale powerful enough to change the entire situation, they would have made that attack before this. As for the Crimea, the fall of Melitopol cuts off the main railway escape from there, while the. Russians, now heading for Kherson, at the mouth of the Dnieper, are in a position to cut off the Crimea altogether by land. The Germans may shortly ibe left with only a sea evacuation of the Crimea as a possibility, but, with the Russian Black Sea fleet lying in wait for just such an emergency, evacuation would not be accompanied by much success. It was stated some days ago that about 250,000 German wounded have been recuperating in the Crimea—long noted for its salubrity—and such a number would be a handicap to any retreating force, although to leave them behind would in itself constitute a disaster, for many of them must bo potential front line men. Both Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk are in grave danger of encirclement, and the Russians continue to drive on Krivoi Rog, the important railway junction on the principal escape route from the Dnieper Bend. Railways converge on Nikolaev, at the mouth of the river Bug, but not all the German armies in the Southern Ukraine could escape through this 'bottle-neck. The Russians, whose tactics throughout the war have been sound, would appear to have the situation too thoroughly in hand for the Germans tobe able to do anything towards improving their position, and there exists good reason to doubt whether the Wehrmacht can continue to take the punishment of the past few days without suddenly collapsing. There is no need to try painting an unnecessarily rosy picture: the portents are plain for allto heed. Taking everything into consideration, Germanv seems to have reached a stage where her military problem is insoluble. Once that is generally realised by the German people and by the army as a whole the end will not be far distant.