PIVOTAL BASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21581, 7 December 1944, Page 5

PIVOTAL BASE

REDS IN^HUNGARY FIERCE STRUGGLE DEFENCES "OF AUSTRIA YUGOSLAV - OPERATIONS (11 a.m.) LONDON. Dec. G With almost three-quarters of Hungary in Russian hands, a fierce struggle is going on at the last approaches to Austria, from winch tlie Red Army is within 40 miles, states Reuter's correspondent in Moscow. General Tolbukhin’s armoured forces stormed past the south-western end of Lake Balaton after winning control of most of the eastern shore. This move has given General Tolbukhin a pivotal base for extending and encirclingithe arms around Budapest and Zagreb. The Russian vanguard moved (with extreme boldness, ranging over the countryside between Lake Balaton and the Drava River, south of where thousands of Croatian Partisans loyal to Marshal Tito have gone over to,, a vigorous offensive. General Tolbukhin’s advanced units are reported to be very near making contact with Marshal Malinovsky's flank, established on Czepel Island. Marshal Tito’s men, according to a Yugoslav communique, working in unison with the Red Army, have broken through the German lines between the Danube and the Sava Rivers and are rapidly advancing against the great railway junction of Yinkovci between Belgrade and Zagreb. Yugoslav Headquarters announces that Albanian Patriots have occupied Skutari and are inarching,, on Pogorica over the border to the north in Montenegro. The Germans in other parts of "southern Yugoslavia are being forced to withdraw. Objectives Near Attainment General Tolbulcin’s twin objectives of over-running the remainder of Hungary and simultaneously smashing the German armies before they retreat as l'ar as Austria are nearly attained, says Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow. The Russians southwest and south-east of Lake Balaton are systematically continuing to chop up the Hungarian and German forces. The most advanced Russian units tonight are only about 59 miles from Austria. They have advanced 10 miles in the past 24 hours. Russian tanks thrusting up the uanuoe highway are also covering the final 30 miles to Buaapest and other Russians are moving swiftly against Agykanizsa, which is less than au miles from the road between zmgreo and Vienna. Reports reaching Moscow for some time indicate that the Germans are digging in along the Austrian frontier. To-night’s Soviet communique states: "The Russians in Hungary oetween the Drava River and Lake naiaton continued their offensive and captured tne railway junction oi ongeivar, also r2u otuer piaces. The j-ugosiavs and. Russians in -l ugusiavia iuUijiit tntir Way into a number ot -miaoued localities.” A iVtosuow communique reports tiiat I.LIO iIUSSIcUIS Llcl V U IciAcii tvVO UJW.u on Lake isaiqton. They are Balaton ~p, and Balaton Ifoldvar, four miles ..am tile lake's southern Up.