NEUTRALISING STETTIN

Evening Star, Issue 25426, 6 March 1945, Page 5

NEUTRALISING STETTIN

OUTER DEFENCES FALL THREAT TO BERUN INCREASED LARGE ENEHYMFOROES. TRAPPED (Rec. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 5. Marshal Zhukov is still forging ahead in the Baltic coastal area. Marshal Stalin, in an order of the day, announces the capture of Stargard, Naiigard, and Polzin. Stargard is 21 miles east and Naugard 29 miles north-easiy of Stettin. Polzin is 18 miles north of Belgard, on the right flank of Marshal Zhukov's wedge reaching to the Baltic. Stargard is described as an outer defence . bulwark of Stettin, from which Marshal Zhukov's forces are only 10 to 15 miles to the east. The Associated Press military correspondent says the capture or immobilisation of Stettin as Berlin's port will greatly complicate the German capital's defence, in view of the .fact that air raids against Berlin's railway traffic have already made the city's supply problem acute. Moscow correspondent says that Marshal Stalin's order of the day confirms an unofficial Moscow report that the main.weight of Marshal Zhukov's northern drive has turned westward and is now driving towards the east bank of the Oder to clear the' Germans completely from it. When the Russians reach the north part, of the Oder the German north flank under General Guderiah will have been pressed back 200 miles in about a fortnight. The correspondent adds that with the shortening of the front achieved by the combined drives across Pomerania, the German Hish Command will find enormous concentrations of Russian might arrayed against them from tho Baltic to the Czecho-Slovak border mountains. The _ flood of Red army troops and guns into the Baltic corridor has not ceased for several days. Big efforts are being made to mop up and\consolidate all the ground won before the Germans are able to recover and form a counter-blow. The British United Press .<oscow correspondent says that German troops estimated at between 200.000 and 300,000 are now caught in thre great bags along the Baltic . coast from Tukums to Kolbe'rg. A fourth bag is being quickly formed just east of Stettin. Tha correspondent points out that Danzig is completely surrounded, and only one-tenth of East Prussia remains in German hands.

1 Pravda ' says the Russians in the Pomeranian idrive have encircled an area of at least several thousand square miles. The enemy pocket from Danzig to 'Kolberg stretches 125 miles from east to west, and at some points is 80 miles deep. The Russians in their drive to the Baltic routed some of the finest German troops Hitler could scrape together for the defence of the so-called Pomeranian Wall.

' The Times ' Moscow correspondent says that although comment on the' Russians' Pomeranian drives emphasises their importance,as a further step towards parcelling up and destroying-the German army, there is another aspect to the successful execution of the daring plan. The threat to' Berlin did notcauso the enemy to neglect his defences in the north part of the Oder, and powerful forces -were sent to Pomerania intended to stem the wide encircling move which it was anticipated the Russians would make along the Baltic coast. These forces suffered a crushing defeat, the extent of whichwill be revealed when the full 'total of prisoners is available. Also,- as a result of the Pomeranian drives, Berlin is now under sharper threat than at any previous moment since the Russians approached the capital. Moscow correspondents say that the Pomeranian actions have consolidated Zhukov's north flank, and as Koniev's drive to the Neisse River has already secured Zhukov's south flank they are of the opinion that an all-out drive for Berlin from Zhukov's forces on the Frankfurt-Kustrin sector may be imminent. The Transocean's war reporter, Walter Estermann, however, declared that all the Russian bridgeheads on the west bank of the Neisse River have been liquidated. '' Forst, Guben, and Muskau," he said, " have become bulwarks of defence south-west of Berlin," GERMANS SATISFIED. ' The Times ' Stockholm correspondent reports that a Berlin spokesman, discussing the Pomeranian and other retreats .to-day, said it was a ■ cheering aspect in the "present phase of the Germans' fight for life that' the Wehrmacbt was still able to take such evasive action and to escape great Josses in men. He added that even the enemy did not claim more German prisoners than was usual in such operations on either the eastern or western fronts, and the Germans may take encouragement from such knowledge that the, war could be won even without victories by the mere fact .of remaining undefeatable. To-night's Soviet communique says the Russians south-west of Koenigs- - berg and south-west and south of Danzw captured several places. The Red army north-east and south otf Koslin captured 80 places. In Czecho-Slovakia, west of Lucenec. the Russians occupied several places.