TREMENDOUS STAKES

Evening Star, Issue 25070, 11 January 1944, Page 3

TREMENDOUS STAKES

fHISSIANS J JUWAZING ADVANCE MOMENTOUS MILITARY DECISIONS IN BALANCE (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) ORec. 11.15a.in.) LONDON, Jan. 10. Events on the Russian front have moved so quickly that, they have given rise to the hope—as expressed by Mr G. L. Garvin—that in the next 10 weeks before the thaw begins to turn Russia ocean of mild, every foot of Soviet territory from the Baltic region to the Black Sea is likely to be delivered from the Germans. A similar View\ is also held by the .' Daily Express'' military ; correspondent, who says:- "The 10 weeks to come before the spring l thaws will quite conceivably decide ' the war, though that will not necessarily mean thtpend ""of;' the fighting."' v He expressed the opinion that failure to stage anything like a serious counter-attack had, made von Mannstein's position hopeless. His one concern was now to save as many men as he could from encirclement and destruction.

"Liberator," iri the 'Observer,' refer*, to the Russian fighting as a " grim game of poker," and says: "With eyery day of General Vatutin's amazing advance German strategy becomes more of a puzzle. There is no sign of instant German withdrawal, and while Berlin military speakers hint at complete evacuation of all Russian territory the German High Command, with a. poker face, clings to ..the Krivoi stog and Nikopol positions. This leaves about 500,000 men in what looks like a gigantic fast-closing trap."

"Liberator" adds that General. Vatutin's colossal offensive bewilders the professional military mind. Its strategy is the most unorthodox of any offensive in this war, indeed in any recorded campaign.

From his Kiev base General Vatutin is simultaneously adraneine to the north-west, the west, south-west, and south. "This continuous pressure on an ever-widening front, this continuous flood-like expansion is staggering And almost incredible. The concentration of striking power for such a task must be huge peyond precedent. The spectator rubs his eyes and wonders how long it can be possible to go on. This is what the German High Command appears to be doinn." He adds that there is a grim poker game on the eastern , table. -Both sides daily raise the bids. The Russians go on expanding their buljre with all the increased handicaps for their offensive this implies. The Germans keep

standing in the Dnieper Bend with all the increased perils that implies.

The stakes are tremendous —the halting of an unprecedented effort for the Russians, the doom of a whole army for the Germans. Iri one week one of the most momentous military decisions may have been reached.

The ' Observer's' diplomatic correspondent expresses_ the opinion that the Nazis are preparing to abandon the Baltic States, and adds: "The Russians are reported to have resumed heavy air attacks against the Baltic ports and that partisan warfare has become a serious nuisance to the Germans.

'•- i The ' Sundav Express ' diplomatic correspondent forecasts "startling results" when the Russians reach the Balkans. He assumes that the Russians will, drive to the Balkans, even if it means slackening the push into Poland, for the invasion of Rumania,would almost certainly lead to its unconditional [surrender and possiblv that of other (Balkan States.