BATTLE OF RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24949, 23 June 1942, Page 3

BATTLE OF RUSSIA

PAST YEAR REVIEWED HITLER'S PLANS UPSET RUGBY, June 21. A year ago to-morrow, 4 a.m., Tuesdav, June 22, 1941, the huge forces Hitler 'had assembled all along the Russian frontier from the Baltic to the Black Sea were ordered to advance. The battle of Russia had begun. It was a battle Hitler confidently anticipated would be successfully completed within three months. Three outstanding reasons probably indused him to take this fatal step. First he hoped to destroy the growing Russian military power, thereby removing any possibility of being attacked in the rear when heavily involved in the west; secondly, he hoped to seize the vast Natural wealth of tile Soviet territories; and, thirdly, he aimed in the political field by attacking Russia under the banner of an anti-Communist crusade to split the ranks of his enemies, perhaps even to induce Britain and the United States to co-operate with him in overthrowing Bolshevism. Reviewing the past 12 months, it is manifest that not one of these three aims has been even nearly achieved; indeed, the third was conclusively smashed by Mr Churchill the very evening the attack was launched. The recent conclusion of the Anglo-Soviet treaty must have finally dispelled any hopes in this direction. Regarding the economic motive, it is clear that, in spite of huge territorial gains, including the Ukraine wheat lands, and. Krivoi Rog, the chemical-manufacturing town, Hitler is unlikely this year to derive much substantial economic value from Russia. Undoubtedly the greate. factor in depriving him of spoils has been the "scorched earth" policy. Hitler's Military Motive Turning to the military motive—the destruction of the Russian armies—it can certainly be stated without reviewing the fighting of the past year that this aim has completely failed, let it is not the fault of the German military machine that the Russian armies remain undefeated. When Hitler's armies began the invasion probably no one outside Russia could accurately assess the strength of the fighting power of the Russian armies. They proved to be unsurpassed, and that was the reason for the German failure. But the Russians have taken serious knocks in the past year. Though there has probably never been a major military campaign of which so little is definitely known, certain facts emerge about which there is substantial expert agreement. The speed of the German attack in the initial stages apparently surprised the Russians. Certainly it cost the Russians dear in the first few days. During the first three weeks it is generally believed that the Russians lost something like 4000 aircraft and 5000 tanks.

Such losses might well have daunted a lesser people than, the Russians. Gradually, however, the German advance was slowed down. Then on October 2 Hitler's greatest offensive began. Within three weeks the Nazis were within 60 miles of Moscow, and in the south the drive on the Caucasus continued. Kharkov fell in the next week, but winter was at hand, and tha Germans decided to make a final attempt to capture the capital. ■ Tne closeness with which they came to achieving their goal was probably not fully appreciated at the time, but it now seems that Moscow was more than half surrounded, with the German advance positions no more than 15 miles from the city. At the same time the Germans had pushed forward both in the north to Tikhvin and in the south to Rostov. Russian Counter-offensive

By the end of November, however, the Germans had reached their furthest point of advantage, and then, beginning in December, came the Russian counter-offensive which, after the staggering blows which had fallen upon them, is one of the most remarkable achievements in military history. Throughout the winter they gradually pushed the Germans back all along the front, and by the time the spring arrived the Germans were over 100 miles from Moscow at the nearest point. Above all, terrible losses had been inflicted on the German armies. Perhaps the greatest testimony to the effectiveness of' the Russian winter offensive.is that, although spring has already passed into summer, the anticipated general German offensive does not appear to have begun. It is certain that when the German full-scale offensive begins it will still have formidable power behind it. That the Russians will again be able to hold them is confidently anticipated, but the climax of the Russian war is still probably ahead, and it will take everything Russia has got to meet it and successfully overcome it. The Soviet's courage and endurance have produced not only unlimited admiration among the peoples of the United Nations, but an earnest desire to render them every possible assistance. The Russians are certainly not unmindful of this assistance. Much is hoped from the statement contained in the communique relating to the recent Anglo-Soviet Treaty: "A full understanding was reached between the two parties with regard to the urgent tasks of creating a second front in Europe in 1942." RUSSIANS FULLY ARMED CONFIDENT OF VICTORY (Rec. 8 p.m.) MOSCOW, June 21. The chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, M. Kalinin, said: " The Russians are fully armed and meet the enemy confident of victory. We have all the war materials required and all the arms to attain this end. The initiative has been wrested from the enemy, and his initial success has been checked. Our armies have passed to the offensive, and the enemy can hope only for local successes. "The German Army is not the ssime as in the first months of the war. Its morale is low, it has ceased to be homogeneous, and looks more like a patchwork pattern. 'Allies are indispensable to Hitler, not only from the political viewpoint, but for the very conduct of the war. The plight of the German Army will be sorry should their allies disappear from the battlefield. Our international position is strong, British and American assistance has grown every day, and the morale of the Soviet people and the Red Army is high. We are aware that many difficulties and hardships are on the road to victory, but are prepared to make any sacrifices to hasten the hour of victory." M. Kalinin's statement was made on the first anniversary of the outbreak of the Russian-German war. RUSSIANS CONGRATULATED MESSAGE FROM AMERICA (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 21. The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, has sent a message to M. Molotov congratulating Russia on the great stand against the Nazis and the countries under Nazi domination, by which Russia has won the admiration of all liberty-loving peoples. He states: "We are confident that before the end of another year the war instigators will be given to understand how seriously they under-estimated the determination and ability for effective action of the peace-loving nations, and they will have learned that in an aroused world aggressors can no longer escape the consequences of their acts, resulting in human suffering and destruction."