NEW ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 7

NEW ATTACK

BALATON SECTOR TEN RED DIVISIONS BEBLIN KADIO BEPOET AT AUSTRIAN BORDEK (Reed. G. 30 p.in.) LONDON. Dec. '2'2 The Berlin rad.it states that the Russians have launched a new offensive between Lake Balaton and the Danube. It says that the Red Army has thrown ten divisions into the new attack. A big battle is raging south-east of Szekesfehervar. The British United Press says that after the Berlin radio's statement that the Red Army had resumed the drive to Vienna came a sensational but unconfirmed statement from French broadcasts that Russian advanced forces had reached the Austrian border beyond Nagv Kanisza. "Lull is Over" "The lull on the Hungarian front is over," said the Berlin radio commentator von Hammer, enlarging the Berlin radio's earlier assertion that the Russians had launched a new attack between Lake Balaton and tjje Danube. "Large Russian forces are preparing to cross Lake Balaton at the narrow waist where the Tihany Peninsula juts out," von Hammer added. "The Russians everywhere have replenished their forces and brought 11[j ammunition and weapons." The Associated Press correspondent in Moscow says the Red Army is also making good progress in the battle north of the Danube -bend. The German strategic position on tlie southeastern front is not so good, but the enemy is able to bring up an apparently inexhaustible supply of reserves. Drive in Czechoslovakia Across the Czechoslovakia!! frontier the Russians have captured about 30 places, including Rimavska. Other*" units have fought their way to within 10 miles of the important rail junction of Lucenee, about 60 miles northeast of Budapest. Lucenec is on the line running across to the Bratislava gap and Vienna which the Russians cut when they broke into Czecho- « Slovakia north of Budapest. The Russians have stiffened the Lucenec sector with tanks and a division of ski troops. A hard winter has set in in this region of the country, which is rugged and forested. The Germans have sent up reinforcements to their forces stranded in the Baltic. Prisoners taken recently say that about 30.000 men were sent there. BLOW IMPENDING RUSSIAN ASSURANCE i TOWARD HEART OF GERMANY (Reed. 9.30 p.in.) NEW YORK, Dec. The Washington correspondent of the Associated Press says he has learned that Russia has assured the Allies that a powerful Red Army offensive is coming up with a new alignment of forces spearheaded toward the heart of Germany. The Russian High Command is reported to have informed the British and the Americans of the date of the new offensive. There is strong evidence that the latter are counting on it. LOYAL TO RUSSIA CZECH DETERMINATION (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 The acting-Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia, Dr Hubert Ripka,'iu a broadcast to his countrymen from London last night, said that Czechoslovakia would in any circumstances stand loyally by her pact with Russia. Czechoslovakia believed that the Soviet Union had a full and true understanding of her needs and interests. IMPORTANCE OF LIEGE INDUSTRIES AND RAILWAYS STAND IN 1914 OFFENSIVE The Belgian city of Liege, which the German counter-offensive is believed to be approaching, has its title to fame in the heroic 12 days' stand which its garrison made in August, 1914, against the lirst onrush of the invading German armiesr No fighting of any note took place there when history repeated itself in 1940, or in the Allies' advance toward y Germany this year. At the outbreak of the present war Liege had a population of 162,000, and tied with Bruges for third place among Belgian cities. It is an important coal and iron centre, on which seven railway lines converge, and has more than half the country's blast furnaces. The River Meuse, on which it stands, marks one of the principal rail and water transport routes between Belgium and Germany. On the right bank is the wooded country of the Ardennes, and on the left a » mass of low hills extending northward to the "tail" of Holland at Maastricht. In 1914, the German attack began on August 5, when the German light guns suffered in duels with the forts. From behind hasty entrenchments, Belgian infantry and machine-gunners inflicted huge losses on masses of the enemy who were unwisely sent against them. However, on August 8, a German brigade organised by General Ludendorff, who was present a.s a staff officer, got through and captured the city._ General Leman, the Belgian commander, who had previously blown "up the bridges and railway tunnels, decided ' that the forts should hold out individually, and sent the rest of the garrison westward to join the main army. The Germans then formed a new siege army, with heavy B.4in and llin mortars, and four monsters of 16.5 in calibre. Three forts held out until they had been smashed to pieces and the magazine of a fourth blew up, burying 350 men in the ruins. The gallant General Leman was found injured and was taken prisoner. The fast fort surrendered on August 16. This brave resistance caused some modification of the German plans, but military _ historians differ on the point whether it set back the time-table of the invasion. ALLIED UNIFORMS WORN GERMANS REACH FRANCE LONDON, Dec. '2l Soms Germans disguised as Allied soldiers are already infiltrating into France, stated the Paris radio tonight, broadcasting a warning to the people. "Groups of Germans in British and American uniforms and possessing Allied identity cards, have penetrated the lines and reached rear areas," the radio stated. "They have British and American vehicles marked with British and American signs. Their task is to sabotage vital installations. The French population must report the presence of these groups immediately to the police." Renter's correspondent at 21st Army Group headquarters says it is definitely that some German assault troops who made the initial penetrations wore British and American uniforms and carried Allied weapons. BOMBS ON ENGLAND (Reed. 11.30 p.ni.) LONDON, Dec. 2'2 German air activity against Southern •. England was continued during the 24 hours up to dawnihis morning. Damage aad wsfa-iMaiMd*