CAUCASIAN STRUGGLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24423, 5 November 1942, Page 2

CAUCASIAN STRUGGLE

Of all the breath-taking events of a world war, Hitler's drive into the Caucasus is not the least. He still hurls thousands of Germans into the death-trap of Stalingrad. While yet that prize eludes him, he must press on elsewhere. One arm of his army seeks to drive along the Black Sea coast toward the port of Tuapse; another drives through Nalchik toward the Grozni oilfields. As Marshal Timoshenko drew his main forces toward Stalingrad and the line of the Volga, the Russians seem outnumbered in the Caucasian region, and probably rely on its strong natural defences to make good deficiencies in men and aeroplanes. Fighting every inch of the way and inflicting heavy losses on their enemies, the Soviet forces have slowly retired toward the great Caucasian mountains. The Turks are apprehensive of a German attack, and fear either that the Russians may be driven to Batum, or that the Germans may seek to outflank their adversaries by a drive through Turkey's north-eastern territory. The Russians are resisting steadfastly on the Black Sea coast. Around Nalchik the Germans have made more progress and threaten to drive along a road and a railway toward Grozni. It may be that their present aim is to secure winter quarters. Yet if they exert sufficient power the Germans may still, in 1942. reach the oilfields and follow the railway to the Caspian. The enemy must be held, for the further he advances into the Caucasus the better his position next year for a thrust at Persia and Irak. Russian tenacity and the Caucasian snows should avail to stem the Nazi advance.