The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1942. RUSSIA’S DEFENCE OF STALINGRAD

Timaru Herald, Volume CLII, Issue 22398, 9 October 1942, Page 4

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1942. RUSSIA’S DEFENCE OF STALINGRAD

THERE is evident and understandable anxiety on the part of the Russians that the defence of Stalingrad should not be interpreted as a sign that everything is going supremely well on the eastern front. There is vast fighting elsewhere than in the Stalingrad sector and M. Stalin's recent statement on the second front question disclosed that the Russians are as anxious as ever they were that some of Germany’s striking force should be diverted to a new war theatre. Tn the past three months the Russians have stood doggedly against the full military power of Germany and although much territory has been lost the Germans are still held from the key objectives they must win if the present phase of their eastern front campaign is to succeed. The defence of Stalingrad will stand as one of the most stupendous feats of defensive fighting in military history. The Germans reached the outskirts of the city; they penetrated it at some points, but they are still not in complete possession and it is possible now that they never will be. Even if the city fell now it could not be taken as a decisive reverse for the Red Army because the enemy has already been compelled to pay a heavier price than even such a valuable objective as Stalingrad is worth. The Russian policy

of making the enemy pay extravagantly for every success has never before been put so effectively into operation. The Germans paid dearly for their advance into the neighbourhood of Moscow last year, but there is every indication that their losses before Stalingrad have been greater. For the present emphasis must be put on the quality of the Russian defence tactics. The counter-attack north-west of Stalingrad should not be interpreted as a sign that the Russians will save the city by this means. It should be thought of rather as one more proof of Russian determination and ability to strike back. The purpose of the struggle on the eastern front is not so much to gain territorial advantage as to inflict blows that will cripple military power. The Germans hoped this vear to smash the Russian military machine beyond repair; they have not vet accomplished this, and

th£ possibility of doing so has been made much more remote by the epic Russian stand at Stalingrad. Even if Stalingrad fell completely into the hapds of the enemy now it would still be necessary for the Germans to launch another offensive before they could seriously imperil the fighting power of the Russian armies. It would lake some weeks to prepare a new offensive after the fall of Stalingrad, and before the Germans could rally for another vast assault against the Russian armies they would be overtaken again by winter. Therefore the defence of Stalingrad has to be considered not so much as the defence of a strategic point but as a successful hold-up of Hitler s campaigning plans. He had hoped to have the Russian armies broken before winter came, but he has no chance of doing this now.