VAIN ATTACKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24637, 16 July 1943, Page 3

VAIN ATTACKS

BIELGOROD PUSH NAZIS DRIVEN BACK RUSSIAN RESILIENCE CAPTURE OF VILLAGES (Reed. 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, July 15 All the German efforts to gain ground in the Bielgorod sector have again failed. This is still the scene of the fiercest fighting. The enemy threw in more tanks and infantry to try to extend the wedge he drove las-, week into the Russian lines north of Bielgorod. The attacks were parried, however, and the Russians, instead of yielding ground, launched counter-attacks in some sectors, and threw the Germans out of several villages. "On the fifth, day of their offensive the Germans lost the battle," says the Red Star, tlm Russian military newspaper. The Red Star was referring to Friday, when the Germans threw in fresh reserves of tanks, men and in-

fantry in a desperate attempt to smash a definite breach in the Russian deielices. Further north, in the Kursk-Orel region, says a Soviet communique, the Germans made no attempt to launch any attack in force. The Germans speak of Russian attacks east and north of Orel, and admit breaches of their defences, but there is no news from Moscow of this. The Berlin news agency says the tank battles in Russia surpass in violence and extent anything that has hitherto been known.

A Russian military spokesman said that the Russians were gradually getting the upper hand in the Bielgorod area. The Red Army was sending in substantial tank reinforcements and constantly attacking from heavily fortified flank positions against the German wedges. These attacks were increasing in frequency, and had reduced the pressure the Germans were able to exert at the tips of the wedges. Another message says it is becoming clear that the Germans are suffering the most severe reverse in their assault against the Orel-Kursk bulge, against which they threw the heaviest armour strength they have employed in any battle. Commentators, drawing attention to this, suggest that the general public, in justifiable admiration for the Allied feat of arms in Sicily, perhaps does not realise the significance of what is happening in Russia. The Stockholm correspondent of the Times points out that, while the losses in men and material have been heavy on both sides, the important fact is that _t.be German enterprise has failed, and it is the first failure of any German summer offensive in Europe. The Germans did not succeed in breaking into the Russian positions or removing the great Kursk bulge, which remains as inconvenient and dangerous as previously.

"Information from Moscow and Berlin clearly indicates the finish of the first German aggressive stage of the has tie, r ' the newspaper adds. "However, desperate fighting continues in Ihe Hielgorod area. Tank battles here continue on a vast scale, with the Germans vainly seeking to hammer a deep dent in the Russian defences." FALANGISTS DISMISSED (Hm-d. 12,"t0 a.m.) MADRID, July 15 'The Falangist _ Official Gazette announces that six members of the Falangist National Council have been dismissed, including Halcon, chancellor of the llispano Council, and Del Castello, former Minister without portfolio, and secretary-general of the Falange Party. AMERICA'S 134,000,000 (Recd. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 15 The resident population of the United States last December reached 1.Vi.'i,950,000, representing an increase of 1.7 per cent over the census taken in April, 19t0. The growth of the resident population has slackened with the progressively larger movement of servicemen from America. Thus most of the increase occurred before the attack on Pearl Harbour.