THROWN BACK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20629, 9 August 1941, Page 9

THROWN BACK

NAZI OFFENSIVE LENINGRAD BID SOVIET RESISTANCE DIFFICULT TERRAIN (Elec. Tel Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Aug. 8, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 7. The situation in the various battle zones of the Russian front shows little change. According to The Times correspondent. on the German frontier the offensive against Leningrad from the south is proceeding at a snail’s pace owing to the difficulties of the terrain and the fierce Russian resistance, while the Finns from the north are taking a long time to overcome the great distances. The Russians have thrown the Germans back northward of Lake Ilmen. The Russian line is holding northward and southward of Kholm. The German declaration that the fighting is finished in the Smolensk sector really meant that it had momentarily ceased to have chief significance, because the main efforts are focussed in the Ukraine where, however, Marshal Budenny is still counter-attacking successfully. Despite the German claims weeks ago that their forces were “standing directly before Kiev,” a despatch from a German correspondent on the Ukraine front broadcast from Berlin to-night admitted that “so far only our flyers have seen Kiev. A Panzer division got within 12 miles of Kiev, but tanks alone cannot capture this strongly-defended modern fortress. Infantry support is needed. Now our divisions have to encircle Kiev. Everything is ready for the final attack. ’ Three Phases of Onslaught The Times’ correspondent on the German frontier says the Wilhelmstrasse doubtless hinted the truth when it explained that the third phase of the gigantic German 1500-mile offensive had now begun. The first phase was the encirclement of Bialystok and Minsk and the approach to the Stalin Line. The second was a decisive break through the Stalin Line and the destruction of the Ist Red Army by splitting up the encirclement and annihilation over the whole front. The third phase envisages the occupation of key points, notably Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev. German military spokesmen insist that the loss of these centres would be fatal to the Russian war potential. They contend that without the Ukraine Russia could not even feed her people. These pronouncements distinctly reveal the underlying strategic plan or the third offensive, showing that the Germans intend in future to concentrate in a supreme effort. Resistance on North The Stockholm correspondent o' The Times reports that the most advanced points of the German offensive against Leningrad are still near Dno, Novgorod, and Luga. The Ge; mans apparently have not captured the Marva isthmus, despite the claim yesterday that they were just outside Narva. The Russians soon made their first mention of operations against Kakisalmi, although the Finnish Command named Kakisalmi daily at the beginning of the war as one of the immediate objectives. Time after time the Finns resumed the attack at this point, while the Finns eastward in the Sortavala region fought their way to the northern shore of Lake Ladoga. So far, however, the Russians have repelled all advances against Kakisalmi. If the Finns reached the coast there they would isolate all the Russian forces to the north-west of Lake Ladoga, whence the only communication with Russia would bo across the lake.