Germans Silent About Moscow

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 266, 8 November 1941, Page 7

Germans Silent About Moscow

CRIMEA PENETRATION LONDON, Nov. 6. Attention is given by G-erman dispatches and radio comment to the Crimean front, and their comparative silence regarding the operations against Moscow is interpreted in many quarters as evidence of disappointing surprises for the Germans in their latest offensive against the capital. The correspondent of the Times on the German frontier says that even the

German successes in the Crimea are by no means as sweeping ns the Wilhelmsstrasse envisaged a week ago, because the Russians, although fighting rearguard actions, have not given up the fight' and show no signs of abandoning ground except inch by inch and at a murderous price. The German pressure, however, is unrelaxed against Sebastopol and Kerch, and the dive-bombing of Sebastopol is so heavy that Russian warships find it too risky to use the port. The German military spokesman declared that Sebastopol was now under heavy fire from German artillery and bombers. | The Germans at the approaches to Moscow have made no progress whatsoever in the past 48 hours despite the change in the weather favouring the resumption of mechanised movement, and also despite Hitler's throwing in every single man who can be mustered from the Reich and the occupied countries, and even from the neutral countries. The Stockholm correspondent of the Times says that the Russians in the Donetz Basin still hold Gorlovka (Yasunovatuya.) Rostov, gateway to the Caucasus, is apparently still beyond the range of the artillery of the Axis forces, which are halted midway from Taganrog near the coast. German efforts to regain the initiative have failed in the Leningrad area, and the Russians are still attempting to loosen von Leeb’s grip. The Ger-

mans have lost more than usual in these engagements, but presumably the Russian losses also have been considerable.