NEW RETREATS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25428, 8 January 1944, Page 5

NEW RETREATS

A GERMAN FORECAST PRESERVATION OF ARMIES LONDON, Jan. 6. Berlin, through its Overseas Service, which the German people,do not hear, forecast vast new re-

treats comparable with those of last summer and autumn, when the Germans fell back 350 miles

from Kursk.

The military commentator, Vallenslaten, said: “Elastic defence and defence everywhere are again the order of the day for the High Command this winter. This probably means developments this winter similar to those seen during the summer and autumn in Russia. What does it matter if Russian territory is given up in order to' preserve our army in view of the task facing the Wehrmacht elsewhere? ” The Russians have captured Tarashcha, south of Kiev. With its capture, the military commentators in London tfiink the Germans will have to draw back from “all positions on the right bank of the Dnieper from Kiev to Cherkasy.

There are no signs yet that the Germans intend to leave the Dnieper bend. They may be staying there for two; reasons—First, Hitler may have told them not to yield an inch of Russian soil: secondly, they may feel in no particular danger because they think the situation will be restored.

It is interesting to note that a German military spokesman has discussed the advantages of fighting on two fronts. London opinion is that this hints of the possible splitting of the German armies by the Russian thrust towards Rovno and Sarny. It is made clear, however, that it is wrong to think there is any parallel in the present situation and that of Stalingrad. There a German army was surrounded, cut off, and destroyed. If a split occurs each German army will operate independently with lines of communications to its main bases intact. General Vatutin, now firmly astride the big Kiev salient, is punching hard against the retreating Germans, declares Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Operations are rapidly moving to a new climax for the Germans in the north-western and Dnieper lines. The Russians are increasingly threatening Kanev, which is the Germans’ only remaining hold on the right bank of the Middle Dnieper.

The fall of Berdichev is hailed by the Soviet press as a major victory, ft splits open the German defences protecting the approaches to the river Bug and the Odessa-Rovno-Wilno railway.

A Russian spearhead is already 15 miles north-east of Shepetovka. Below Byelaya Tserkov the Germans have forces, but the Russians are wedged into their lines in many places. They are nearly 40 miles south of the town, and have captured a position six miles north-west of Berdichev. Vichy radio, in an unusually outspoken report on the eastern front, said it seems that General Vatutin’s offensive is forcing the Germans lo give up the entire territory south of the Dnieper General Vatutin, besides using more than 1,000,000 men, has considerable reserves which have not yet been in action.

Enemy sources continue to play up the magnitude of the Russian tank attack east of Kirovograd. One Berlin commentator called it the greatest tank battle of the winter campaign.