Balkan Satellites Shaken To Foundations

Northern Advocate, 22 March 1944, Page 3

Balkan Satellites Shaken To Foundations

(Received 2.30 p.m.) (8.0. W.) RUGBY, March 21

After crossing the Dniester, the Russians are reported to be pushing ahead towards the Pruth, says a 8.0. W. message. If this is so it is beginning to look doubtful whether the Germans can organise a stand anywhere east of the Carpathians, Their most urgent need, therefore, is to stiffen both Rumania and Hungary and galvanise them into effective resistance to the Russians.

The Russians also are reported to have reached Kovel, 40 miles northwest of Luck and 160 fiom Warsaw In the Brody neighbourhood their advance is 50 miles from Lwow. These events have shaken German satellites to their foundations. Circumstantial reports have been received that the Germans are now garisoning Hungary. Troops thus employed are probably not of first quality, and may consist of divisions which have been training further up the Danube in Austria. The size of the occupying force is not thought to exceed 100,000 men, who presumably neither are fully trained nor fully equipped. Hungary In The Path Hungary now lies directly in the path of the advance of two Russian army groups. Marshal Zhukov’s men in the Tarnopol-Brody sector are about 100 miles from that part of the present Carpathian frontier of Hungary which used to be the Czechoslovakia frontier before the war. General Koniev’s forces, advancing across the Dniester, are seme 130 miles from the crest of the Carpathians, where they form the eastern frontier of that part of northern Transylvania ceded to Hungary by. Germany in 1940 after the fall of France. Thus, on a front of 200 miles, the Russians are approaching Hungary. The speed of their advance across the Middle Bug and the Dniester indicates they have found a clear gap through the German forces. At this rate it may not be many days before they are across the river Pruth also, and climbing the Carpathian .foothills.

Operational Base

There were pressing reasons, therefore, why Germany should take over Hungary and convert it into an operational base, A supply organisation will have to be built up behind a new froni east of, or on the Carpathians.

Since the Russians cut the LwowOdessa railway, the main communications from German and Austrian munition factories to South-east Europe run through Hungary even more than they did before. The Germans probably have doubts of Hungary’s loyalty to them in face of the growing Russian threat, and cannot afford to take risks about the security of their communications.

Another factor probably also enters German calculations, Rumania is being invaded by an enormous Russian armoured force which is advancing against little, of any, effective opposition. The German armies, probably, for the present virtually are split in two, a group fighting on the line KovelBrody - Tarnopol - Proskurov - Upper Dniester and the other converging on Nikolayev. Odessa and the lower Dniester. Rumanians Plug Gap The Germans would, presumably, prefer to try to plug the gap with their own troops, but they are not believed to have any in Rumania. Their most obvious resource is to send Rumanian garrisons from Rumania itself to meet the Russians. These may amount, all told, to as much as 350,000 men. One of the chief reasons for the reluctance of the Rumanian Government.to fall in with these plans would be the fear that Hungary would seize the opportunity to occupy the remaining southern half of Transylvania, which Germany, in IS4O, allowed Rumania to keep. Hungary is believed .to have some 300,000 men under arms. German occupation of Hungary will relieve the Rumanians of anxiety on that score. To what extent, however, at this stage in Germany’s defeat the Rumanians will be willing to go on fighting is doubtful, The presence of such an influential personage as Prince Stirbey in Cairo at this juncture is an indication they might give up the struggle if the opportunity presented itself. Rumanians March In According to unconfirmed reports front Switzerland, the seizure by the Germans of control of Hungary has been accomplished, says a 8.0. W. message. Both German and Rumanian troops are reported to have entered the country and many arrests have beeit carried out by the German authorities, who have installed themselves at Budapest. There is no definite news about the formation of a government more favourable to Germany, but the Fascist leader (Imredy), and the Fascist Arrow Cross party are mentioned.