ROAD TO MOSCOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24733, 9 October 1941, Page 7

ROAD TO MOSCOW

A VIOLENT BATTLE DESPERATE NAZI DRIVE wl^^^Eß , s grip feared (UsntD Press Association) ■■'■■'■ r (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) TJ (ilec. I a\m) ' LONDON, Oct. 8. Bitter fighting is in progress on the road to Moscow. The latest communique from Moscow repeats that the battle is especially violent in the •:t•;I-. directions of Vyazma and Bryansk. The first-named point is within 150 miles of Moscow on the •• Napoleonic route from Smolensk, and Bryansk is an important railway junction 220 miles south-west of the capital and 150 miles due south of Vyazma. The Russians are fighting fiercely at Vyazma and Bryansk. A Serman advance on Moscow has been ordered, and according to a report from Moscow there must be "no retreat, not a single step." Bryansk was the point where General Guderian's tank columns hurled back earlier efforts to strike at Moscow and Vyazma was the 'point where General von Bock's troops attempted to push through ",'. : fe&i»:Smolensk in. the early stages of the campaign. i I'pTv. The '* German push toward Moscow is interpreted in Moscow as meaning that the Germans are attempting to escape the threat of a wintercampaign. The Red Star says: "The enemy fears the prospect Of a long war, and is making a desperate effort to ovcri come ..our ..stubborn resistance. The Fascist generals would like to r decide the issue before the beginning of winter, but their hopes are Jn.Vain,. We.do not, however, shut our eyes to the seriousness of -the moment.* The full strength of the Russian army is being mobilised to meet the new challenge to Marshal Timoshenko's forces on the central front. The Germans have undoubtedly made some progress, and the official Soviet military spokesman, M. Lozovsky, said to-day that the offensive was only beginning. Sonw .has been falling in Moscow. {German dive-bombers have, been busy harassing tlfe Russian defences, while Russian bombers have been engaged in attacking railway junctions around Smolensk, behind the German lines.

The fighting in the Leningrad area is dwarfed by the titanic struggle on the central and southern fronts, but Russian despatches refer to ceaseless counterblows against the' Germans on the approaches to the city.

A German news agency says that women captured with weapons in their hands were among the Russians taken prisoner on the northern front.

According to the Russian news agency Soviet marines made a surprise landing at the rear of Rumanian forces in the Odessa sector

and destroyed Big Berthas.

Russian warships bombarded the

coast, while marines landed under coyer of. a barrage and set fire sto jhousesj enabling the nayalgunneretd correct their* fire. The marines, and contacted -the Russian troops near the

approaches .to Odessa. As dawn broke Russian, planes bombed the Rumanians, who fled while Soviet units surrounded a battery, the guns of which were stil\ warm after night-long shelling of Odessa. , A Hungarian communique states that Russian troops who broke under ;a Hungarian attack escaped in ships across the Sea Of AZOV: '::■':■ ■ : :\. J ~ : 'r-■:■''.:' :/:■ "••'•' ""'"•' ■'■'''''','.

A supplementary - Russian night communique states: "At Odessa the heroic defenders inflicted serious losses on German and Rumanian troops'. Up ,to .four battalions .of -Rumanian.infantry' and the 75th Infantry Regiment of the 27th German Division. were, routed,, and machine guns, many trench mortars and a large quantity of ammunition were captured. Our Air Force defending the approaches to Leningrad continues to inflict blows on enemy troops and cdftcVnt«tio|is; During; a v raid, on a large enemy .column a. group of our aircraft destroyed 51 motor vehicles, 15 anti-aircraft artillery emplacements, and a battery of heavy guns. During another - successful raid 5 German armoured cars, 19 lorries and two batteries of six anti-aircraft artillery emplacements were destroyed. In the course of an ensuing air combat seven Messerschmitts were brought down." M. Lozovsky, replying to Hitler's

allegations with regard toM. Molotov's • four conditions at the Berlin meeting, declared "that,' first, M. Moloto v raised ' the'• question of the withdrawal" of German' troops from Finland, :as the SovieV perceived that Germany was

maintaining troops there with the intention of forcing Finland into war against the Soviet; secondly, Hitler, contrary to the 1939 pact, did not consult Russia with regard to sending German troops to Rumania. .The Soviet could not be oblivious to the fact that Hitler was also preparing Rumania as a jumping-off ground for an attack on Russia. Thirdly, it was clear after the despatch of German troops into Rumania that a German threat was hanging over the Balkans. The Soviet attempted to offer a helping hand to Bulgaria, but the Bulgarian Government was not even able to enter negotiations. Fourthly, Germany several times suggested that the Soviet was anxious to seize the straits, but it is well known that the Soviet last March assured Turkey that in the event of an attack she could count on Russia's full understanding and neutrality. This assurance displeased Germany. M. Lozovsky added that if what Hitler says is true, why did he issue a communique after the Berlin meeting- saying that he and Molotov had agreed on all important questions?