THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1941 THE RUSSIAN FRONT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24141, 6 December 1941, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1941 THE RUSSIAN FRONT

A month ago to-morrow, M. Stalin broadcast from the Red Square, to the Russian people. The enemy was still advancing, a large part of the Government had moved to Kuibyshev, but the supreme leader of the Russians remained in Moscow. He challenged the story of German invincibility and claimed that in the face of the continued and resolute Soviet resistance the Nazis faced sure disaster. "Another few months, another half-year, one year maybe and Hitlerite Germany must burst under the weight of her own crimes." With the penetration of the Crimea and the capture of Rostov, accompanied by increasing pressure on Moscow, any prospect of a successful Russian counter-attack appeared remote indeed and in spite of M. Stalin's courageous words the Nazi occupation of the great part of European Russia seemed almost certain. The recapture of Rostov has put a new face on the Russian situation. For the first time in the present conflict the Germans have suffered a major defeat: the theory of their invincibility is shattered. This alone is one of the most momentous events of the war. As M. Stalin himself said, the enemy is not as strong as certain terrorstricken, weak intellectuals picture him. But the belief in overwhelming Nazi strength was not dispelled by the resolution of the Soviet armies in retreat. Only victory reassures the conquered. The noise of Marshal Timoshenko's victory at Rostov must travel through all the oppressed countries and must quicken the pulse of the Russians themselves in their supreme effort to hurl back the German armies. General von Kleist apparently intends to make a stand at Mariupol, a point on the Sea of Azov one hundred miles from Rostov. He is threatened by an attack from the north-east and the speed of the German retreat is the measure of Marshal Timoshenko's pincer move. The skill of von Brauchitsch, the Nazi commander-in-chief, is called in aid to retrieve the situation. The Germans have more at stake in the south than in any other part of Russia. The capture of Leningrad and Moscow would have enormous prestige value and would undoubtedly deprive the Russians of very important industrial centres. The industrial value of Leningrad to the Soviet must by now be very small and Moscow's industries are no doubt working under some difficulties. But by taking these two.great cities Hitler can never defeat Russia. Only a complete victory in the south with -an advance to Astrakhan on the Caspian and the domination of the Caucasian oilfields can so weaken the Russians as almost to destroy their capacity for an. offensive. These immense possibilities in the south have been stultified by Marshal Timoshenko's offensive toward Mariupol. More, the German drive to Iran recedes into the background and Turkey gains new courage. The best barometer of events in southern Russia is the attitude of Turkey. Very significantly President Roosevelt's decision to include the Turks in the LendLease programme coincides with the victory of Marshal Timoshenko. Round Moscow, the German offensive continues, although it shows signs of exhaustion and the Russians are particularly aggressive in the Tula sector. Indeed, according to one report, a Soviet counter-offen-sive at Tula threatens to turn the German flank. Moscow is a great lure to a would-be conqueror of Russia. Here is one of the world's most famous capitals, the very centre of a social system which Hitler has sworn to destroy. Considerations of winter quarters for their troops will drive the Germans to enormous efforts to take the great city and reports of German slackening should be accepted with caution. The threat from Klin in the north is still strong, a strenuous drive is being made westward of the city and the rigours of winter have not interrupted stubborn fighting. But what gains the Germans have made in an offensive lasting more than a fortnight have been at a cost which must play a part in their eventual exhaustion. These great attacks have a long-term effect. German military historians of the previous war record the disastrously weakening effect on the German army*of its great offensives on the Western Front, unaccompanied as they were by a decisive victory. The long front from Moscow to Leningrad bears some resemblance to the static lines in France of 1914-1918, with the Russians still vigorous in counter-attack and the Germans paying a heavy price in men and materials. Russia may yet cause Germany to bleed to death.