WAR OF LIBERATION MESSAGE TO RED ARMY

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 February 1942, Page 5

WAR OF LIBERATION

MESSAGE TO RED ARMY

STALIN’S ORDER-OF-THE-DAY LONDON, February 23. M. Stalin, in his order-of-the-day to the Red Army, on the occasion of its twenty-fourth anniversary, said: “The Red Army knows it is fighting in a noble cause, namely, a war of liberation. Therein lies the Red Army’s strength and the German Army’s weakness. When Hitler treacherously attacked us last June, he underestimated his new enemy. We retreated, but while doing so, we dealt telling blows. We have never doubted that the enemy would be halted and eventuallv routed. The war will now be different, because the enemy is no longer able to surprise us. “The Soviet people do not delude themselves that the enemy is already beaten. On the contrary, there is a stern struggle still ahead. The Red Army does not aim at destruction of the German people. It is probable that this war will end Hitler’s clique, but it would be ridiculous to identify Hitler’s clique with the German people and the German State. History teaches that Hitlers come and go, but the German people and State remain. The Red Army is sometimes accused of annihilating Germans out of hatred for everything German, and it has been alleged that no prisoners have heretofore been taken. That is a stupid lie and a libel on the Red Army, which is free from all sentiments oi racial hatred. The Red Army- annihilates Germans, not because they are German, but because they want to enslave our country. During recent operations, German garrisons in Klin, Sukhinichi, Andreapol and Toropets were summoned to surrender. Life was promised them. They refused to surrender, and many lost their lives. The Red Army takes prisoners when they surrender. It remember Maxim Gorky’s words: When the enemy refuses to surrender, he is annihilated.

GREATER EFFORTS NECESSARY.

While M. Stalin emphasised the Red Army’s successes, he repeatedly stressed the necessity for greater efforts. He declared that new units must £o to the front to forge the final victory over the enemy, who was becoming increasingly ferocious. The enemy would strain his last forces in order to achieve success. M. Stalin stressed that as soon as the advantage of surprise disappeared, the German Army was faced by a catastrophe. The Germans considered their army invincible, but it was rolling back westwards, trying vainly to delay the day of complete defeat. M. Stalin said: “The initiative is in our hands The day is not far distant when the Red Army will liberate Leningrad and all towns and villages in White Russia, the Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia. Estonia, Karelia, and the Crimea. M. Stalin mentioned that the Germans were supported by Italian, Rumanian, and Finnish armies. The Red Army v at present had no similar support, but the Germans were suffering defeat after defeat. “Comrades, I congratulate you on the Red Army’s anniversary. I wish you a complete victory over Germany. Long live our glorious Motherland! Under Lenin’s banner, forward!” CELEBRATIONS IN RUSSIA. MOSCOW, February 22. Celebrations in connection with the Red Army anniversary, including patriotic meetings and sports, are being held in towns throughout Russia, and also among units of the Russian Army, Navy and'Air Force. Entertainment is being arranged for troops at the front, to which train-loads of presents are speeding' from all corners oi Russia.

MESSAGES FROM ALLIES.

LONDON, February 23

Among the hundreds of messages of congratulation which the Red Army has received is one from General ‘Douglas MacArthur, commander of the United States forces in the Philippines, who said the hopes of the civilised world were placed in the glorious battles of the Red Army. A message was also sent from the British Army and the Royal Air Force by General Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal, who wished the Red Army all oossible success, and expressed confidence that together the Allies would secure final success against the common enemy. For the first time in Australia’s history, Red Army day is being observed throughout the Commonwealth. The following message has been sent to the President of the Moscow Soviet by the Lord Mayor of London: “On behalf of the citizens of London, I offer heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the Red Army on their victories, dauntless courage, and heroism, which will form one of the epics of world history.” The London County Council Chairman has sent the following message to M. Stalin: “On behalf of the people of London, I send hearty congratulations on the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Red Army, and on the outstanding military genius and epic bravery displayed by the officers and men in resisting German aggression. London salutes the Russian people.” The Netherlands Government, in a telegram to M. Maisky, also paid a tribute to the Red Army. It read: “On behalf of the Netherlands Government, I wish to convey to Your Excellency on this day an expression of my deep admiration for the glorious achievements of the Russian Army.”

RECEPTION AT EMBASSY

RUGBY, February 23

M. Maisky gave a reception at the Soviet Embassy in London, to-night, in honour of the twenty-fourth anniversary of the creation of the Red Army. Mr. Churchill was prevented from attending by a last-minute call of urgent business. The Allied Governments were all represented, as were the Dominions and the British Fighting Services. Messages of congratulation on the magnificent achievements of the Red Army have been sent either to M. Stalin or M. Maisky by the heads of the Allied Governments in London. FURTHER SUCCESSES LONDON, February 23. The Russian armies have made further advances and have captured

more inhabited localities. The latest Moscow communique announces that on the central front three more places, which are unnamed, have been recaptured. One Soviet unit in the Kalinin sector, north-west of Moscow, killed 350 German troops. Elsewhere on the central front the Russians report the capture of much war material. On the southern front, Soviet forces in one day destroyed four tanks and 12 machine-guns, captured considerable quantities of war material and annihilated 350 German soldiers. The Russian Air Force, in a brilliant action, destroyed or damaged 240 German troop-carrying lorries and wiped out two infantry battalions. The Tass News Agency tells how 25 Russian ski troops attacked 400 Germans armed with tanks, guns, and mortars. The Russians broke into a village held by the Germans and began hurling hand-grenades into the houses. The fighting went on all night and before the battle ended 23 of the ski troops had given their lives, but they had killed 120 of the enemy. The “Red Star” states that Russian cavalry units have advanced up to 120 miles at several points between Smolensk and Leningrad. In the Ukraine, Marshal Timoshenko’s two great attacks are being pressed successfully. _ In the south oi this front, two more villages have been cleared of Germans. To the northwest an’important railway centre has been captured. One of the defensive measures adopted by the Germans in this sector is artificial fog to screen their movements.

ADVANCE CONTINUES.

RUGBY, February 23

The Russian advance continues on the central part of the front, as well as in the south, where fresh progress was reported last night. This morning’s report announces the occupation of an important place in the Kalinin sector, and an advance in another sector in the centre. NAVAL ACHIEVEMENTS. RUGBY, February 23. The Baltic fleets defending Leningrad have destroyed 1000 fortified points and overwhelmed 50 enemy artillery batteries, states a Moscow Press message. . It is also announced tnat, m the course of the seven months of war, 110 soldiers, sailors, ana airmen have been awarded the supreme honour of the Soviet Union, and nearly 40,000 have Deen awarded high battle honours. SIBERIAN OFFENSIVE URGF.D. CHUNGKING, February 22. The official “Central Daily News” has urged Russia to strike first against the Japanese, declaring the ostensible peace now prevailing on the SiberianManchukuoan border to be simply the prelude to a coming storm. “The opportune time to strike is now, when the Soviet cavalry can operate on the frozen Siberian frontier as they have done on the Western Front against Germany,” it stated.