KONIGSBERG FALLS TO RED ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 10 April 1945, Page 5

KONIGSBERG FALLS TO RED ARMY

RUSSIANS IN CENTRE OF VIENNA Big Battle Opened for Breslau

(Rec. 1 1.50 a.m.) London, April 9. The Russians to-day captured Konigsberg, capital of East Prussia. According to front-line reports, a big battle has opened for Breslau. The centre of Vienna, including the Town Hall and Post Office, has been captured by Marshal Tolbukhin’s troops. This is the outstanding news from the Eastern front to-day. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says within shelled Vienna two million men, women, and children await the outcome of the struggle. There are indications that many civilians are sabotaging the Germans efforts, but there are no reports so far that the Germans are launching an orgy of destruction as they did in Budapest. The German High Command earlier said the Russians were attacking hard. Berlin radio’s commentator, von Hammer, reveals that the Russians have captured both Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg, the heights of which dominate Vienna. He added that fighting is raging around the museums of the Ringstrasse, which is the road encircling the heart of the city. Von Hammer said the Russians are bringing up reinforcements of tanks. Losses on both sides are considerable.

The British United Press correspondent says Berlin has dropped its fight - to-the-last broadcasts to Vienna and makes no parallel to the protracted struggle for Budapest. The German News Agency said despite violent opposition, especially from S.S. troops, the Russians managed to further penetrate Vienna. Fighting has spread to the northern part of the city. Fierce fighting- is raging in the vicinity of Franz Josef railway station, the terminus of the Vienna Prague line. It added that Marshal Tolbukhin’s troops, while the battle for Vienna continues, are thrusting to the west along the Vi-enna-St. Poelten road. TOLBUKHIN’S APPEAL TO VIENNESE London. April 8. Moscow radio broadcast a Soviet Government declaration that she did not desire territorial or social changes in Austria, whise population were resisting the German evacuation order and welcoming the Red Army. Marshal Tolbukhin. addressing Viennese, told them to refuse to be evacuated. He appealed to them to prevent the Germans from taking machinery and other plant out of the city. “The Red Army is fighting the Germans. not the Austrian people.” LUFTWAFFE STRUCK DOWN The Red Air Force has struck down Luftwaffe opposition. Russian observation planes are hovering over street junctions and squares, guiding the advance stormtroops. Leaflets are being showered down on the city, heralding liberation and calling on people for cooperation against the Germans. Loud speakers in forward areas are urging people to hamper German demolitions. Marshal Malinovsky’s forces are fanning out from a bridgehead over the Morava River to the Vienna Brno highway 10 to 15 miles west of the river. Russian guns are firing on the highway which is the main escape route for the Vienna garrison. Russian- planes are strafing it from en4P to end. Marshal Malinovsky’s right wing is pushing towards Brno. Reuter's correspondent is of the opinion that every Russian advance in this sector tightens the hag being drawn around the Germans in central Czechoslovakia and presses against German defences on the long road to Prague.

ORDERS TO DESTROY MANILA PROOF OF JAP INTENTION New York, Apl. 8. The President of the Philippines, General Carlos Romulo, stated that he is submitting to Congress documentary proof that orders to destroy Manila and kill the inhabitants came direct from Tokio. General Romulo said most of the proof came from photographs of orders found on bodies of dead Japanese soldiers. WILL FIGHT IN PACIFIC ALL R.A.A.F. PERSONNEL IN - EUROPE Canberra, Apl. 9. “When the European war is over all R.A.A.F. personnel will return to continue the fight in the Pacific,” said the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin. “The understanding on the part of all Governments is that the war in the Pacific will have to be waged when Germany is no longer capable of resistance. They are needed for fighting here and, besides, there will be a number ready for discharge because of long service.” Mr Curtin added that the appointment of General MacArthur as Com-mander-in-Chief of all ground forces in the Pacific did not affect the SouthWest Pacific area. General MacArthur commanded all forces of the SouthWest Pacific area and the other arrangement was for excursions in other areas. JAPS SHORT OF SHELLS London. April 9. Shortage of shells seems to be worrying the Japanese, who are reeling under a succession of blows from many directions in the Meiktila area, cables a Burma correspondent. Their field artillery now rarely troubles our troop concentrations and the Japanese are conserving what guns and ammunition they have left to meet our tank attacks. So desperate is the enemy need for shells that they sent large columns of their precious motor transports right into the lion’s jaws north-east of Meiktila apparently in an effort to recover shells from a large ammunition dump they are believed to have somewhere east of the Mandalay-Meiktila line. Many of these tfucks have been ambushed and shot up and few stand a chance of getting away to the south again MEXICAN AIR FORCE Mexico City, Apl. 9. The War Department announced that a Mexican Air Force squadron left a Pacific port for active service in the war zone.