AUSTRIAN CAPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25814, 9 April 1945, Page 5

AUSTRIAN CAPITAL.

PRACTICALLY ENCIRCLED CZECH FRONT ABLAZE (Rec. 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, Apl. 8. Vienna is virtually encircled and complete bewilderment reigns in the city because no more food supplies are reaching the people. Rubble is piling up in the streets, and all approaches have been barricaded with centuries-old trees. Moscow correspondents said that the Austrian capital is cut off from the west, and Marshal Tolbukhin’s men, sweeping round toward the Danube north-west of Vienna, cut the great motor road to Linz, in South Germany, and the Franz Josef railway, which links Vienna with Bohemia. The last remaining railway leading out of the capital and linking it with Moravia and West Silesia runs so close to the Danube ,that it is well within range of Marshal Tolbukhin’s artillery. Russian shock troops fighting in the southern part of Vienna occupied the arsenal and other German strongpoints, says a supplementary Russian communique. Three thousand Germans were killed yesterday in Vienna. The Russians captured Klosterneuburg. Reuter’s Agency says the capture of Klosterneuburg deprives the Germans of their last escape road from Vienna on the south bank of the Danube. The enemy’s only remaining approaches to the city are from the north and across the three Danube bridges.

The entire Czech front from the Polish border to Vienna has been set ablaze by the new Soviet drive, says a Moscow message. Taking part are the armies of Marshals Malinovsky and Yeremenko, with Czech partisan forces, and General Svoboda’s Czech troops. Marshal Yeremenko’s forces are advancing west along the Vag River and threatening Zihilina, the key strongpoint guarding the pass to Taschin in South-east Moravska-Ostrava. Marshal Malinovsky’s troops, moving north between the Morava and Vag Rivers, are. menacing Brno, and at the same time are guarding the flank of his attack closing in on Vienna.