NEW GERMAN THRUST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 6 August 1941, Page 5

NEW GERMAN THRUST

ATTEMPT TO CUT OFF LENINGRAD INTENSE FIGHTING REPORTED (K 'c. 9.30 a.m/) London, Aug. 5. A new German thrust midway between Leningrad and Smolensk, is reported in last night's Moscow communique, which states that there has been intense fighting there. The object of the drive, it is commented in London, is not yet clear, but it is possible that the aim is to cut Leningrad’s communications. There is no indication yet of the strength of the German troops engaged. The communique otherwise names the same sectors as yesterday. The Soviet communique for the first time mentioned kholm after consistently for weeks making references to battles in the vicinity of Porkhov. Kholm (about 100 miles east of Latvia and 80 miles south-east of Porkhov), is the last important town on the plain over which the Germans have been advancing at enormous cost. The lake dotted Valdai Hills east of Kholm constitute a further barrier to the invaders, who are now apparently attempting to cut off Leningrad from the south

In spite of Berlin's claims about the battles aeainst the “encircled'' Soviet army at Smolensk reaching the “extermination” stage, there is no reaso: to believe that the Germans have mack any substantial progress in this sector. The Germans have also appeared tc be checked in the Byelaya Tserkov region, where the southern claw of the German pincers is desperately struggling to isolate Kiev. Berlin i*adio claims that Iskorost and Byelaya-Tserkov have been in German hands for several days. The radio now says that the High Command is not greatly concerned about the time needed for the extermination of the Smolensk pocket, because it is first of all thinking of saving the German troops. A Soviet supplementary communique this morning states that prisoners who have been taken in the Smolensk'•region include many reservists aged 43 to 50 who were called up to replace huge German losses. It is considered possible that the Germans might be involved in a winter campaign in White Russia and the Ukraine, when the advantage would definitely swing to the Russians’ favour. I lie original German plan of campaign against the massive Russian armies remains to encircle and then destroy them. This policy, accordins to to-day's Swiss dispatches from Beilin, is failing along the whole front. The “Neue Zuercher Zeilung’s” correspondent declares that a -large-scale Russian withdrawal on the southern front is being effected so successfully that the German plans for their encirclement have been nullified. The correspondent of another Zurich newspaper, on the other hand, reports that the Germans frequently encircle Russian forces, but these always break through the enclosing ring. In spite of the German claims regarding Russian losses, the correspondent adds, the Luftwaffe has been very active in the past few days attempting to halt a seemingly endless stream of Russian reinforcements. The divebombers are also combing vast forestlands from which Russian forces sally out against the German rear to start bloody battles that delay the enemy. POWER OF COUNTER ATTACKS The wei-informed Berlin correspondent of the Basle “National Zeitung” says there are no indications in the German capital that the Russian coun-ter-attacks are weakening. He adds that the only German reply to the Russian that a “great German” division was nearly annihilated is that this division took 5000 prisoners at the beginning of the campaign. German broadcasters from the Smolensk front emphasise that the Russians in the past 43 hours have been massing a considerable number of new troops eastward of Smolensk. These broadcasts, which continue to refer to fanatical” Russian resistance, are phrased as if Smolensk had fallen, but the German authorities reiterate their warning that territorial gains are not themselves tho main object of the warfare. The military spokesman in Berlin i continue to declare that the outcome of! the present battle in the Smolenk region will decide the whole Russian German war. GERMAN CLAIMS A German communique says: “In the course of an enveloping movement in Ukraine German and Hungarian mobile troops have cut off vital enemv rail ! communications. The mass of the Soviet forces who were surrounded east of Smolensk are now annihilated and the remainder are faced with disbandment.” HNNS BEGIN TO HAVE DOUBTS The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says that the casilydefendable Karelian Isthmus is packed with Russian troops, who obviously do not expect to be obliged to retreat. Indeed, an idea seems to have crystallised in the Finnish mind that the Russians may launch a great offensive from the isthmus with the object of swarming into southern Imlaivl toward Helsinki. This eventuality scarcely was men- ' tioned previously, when the Finns im agined that their war alongside Ger- ! many would be exclusively offensive' and would not involve the danger of' Finland being invaded. The Finns arc disappointed at the small scale of the German help; the Germans have only five divisions in Finland. of which the majoritv are stuck in the northern mud while the brunt of the most vital fighting is falling on the f™*- ' , are bel ieved to have 300,000 in the field. LENINGRAD AIR DEFENCE The German attempts to bomb Lenin- i grad have been even less successful ' than the raids on Moscow, declares' General Protsvetkin in an article in! the “Pravada.” Though the raids l began on the first day of the war and there have been often several raids in a day or night, not a single bomb so far i has fallen in the centre of Leningrad., the anti-aircraft gims, fighters and balloons have invariably stopped the raiders at the outer defences Moscow radio stated that a mass: i German raid on Moscow last night t failed, only, a couple of machines pcne-lt trating the city defences. Some incen- . diary bombs *« e dropped, but the city 1 was not damaged- ! v RUSSIANS’ BUMPER HARVEST j ( Th ® ‘' PrSvda -’’ Moscow, reports that' t tne harvest in Soviet Russia is the I i largest in seven years. The Moscow \ correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph” says, that while the Russian arniicface the German thrust to Kiev Russia's old men. women and children are gathering in the monster crop, working day and night, and sending it eastward for This has already been done m the whole of the threatened south <■ western zone. : a US. AID TO RUSSIA d The American Assistant Secretary n or State, Mr Welles, announced in v Washington that the Administration , s has decided to issue unlimited licenses 11

for a wide variety of war materials required by the Soviet Union for strengthening its defences. Washington diplomats regard this as the most significant development in Russian-American relations since the United States recognised the Soviet Union in 1933. It was announced yesterday that the United States and the Soviet have exchanged Notes extending the present commercial agreement for one year. The United States pledged full economic assistance and priority in delivery of essential war materials. Mr Welles said that the United States was considering extending shipping facilities to hasten the aid to Russia.— U.P.A.