HITLER’S FAILURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1942, Page 3

HITLER’S FAILURE

IN LAST YEAR’S CAMPAIGN ' AND DELAY IN STARTING NEW OFFENSIVE. RUSSIA’S MAGNIFICENT EFFORT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 21. A year ago tomorrow, at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, 1941, the huge forces of Hitler which 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 is a battle which Hitler confidently anticipated would be successfully completed within three months. Three outstanding reasons probably induced him to take this fatal step. First, he hoped to destroy the growing Russian miiltary power, thereby removing any possibility of being attacked in the rear when he became heavily involved in the west; secondly, he hoped to seize the vast natural wealth,..of the Soviet territories; thirdly, he aimed, in the political field, by attacking Russia under the banner of an anti-Commun-ist crusade, to split the ranks of his enemies and perhaps even induce Britain and the United States to co-oper-ate with him in overthrowing Bolshevism. NAZI HOPES DISAPPOINTED. 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 on the very evening the attack was launched. The recent conclusion of the Anglo-Soviet treaty must finally have dispelled any hopes in this direction. ( . Regarding the economic motive, it is clear that in spite of the huge territorial gains, including the Ukraine wheatlands and the Krivoi Rog ironfield, Hitler is unlikely this year to derive much substantial economic value from Russia. Undoubtedly, the greatest factor in depriving him of the spoils has been the scorched earth policy. 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. Yet it is not the fault of the German military machine that the Russian armies remain undefeated. When Hitler’s armies began their invasion, probably no one outside Russia could accurately assess the strength and fighting power of the Russian armies. They proved to be unsurpassed, which is the reason for the German failure. But the Russians have taken serious knocks in the past year. Though probably there has never been a major military campaign of which so little is definitely known, certain facts emerge about which there is substantial expert agreement. EARLY RUSSIAN LOSSES. The speed of the German attack in the initial stages apparently surprised the Russians, and certainly cost them deal' 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 crushed 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 the Germans decided to make a final attempt to capture the capital. The closeness with which they came to 'achieving their goal probably was not fully appreciated at the time, but it now seems that Moscow was more than half surrounded, with the German advanced 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. By the end of November, however, the Germans had reached the furthest point, and at the beginning of 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. By the time the spring arrived the Germans were more than 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 though the spring has already passed into summer, the anticipated general German offensive does not appear to have begun. It is certain that when the German fullscale 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 successfully meet and overcome it. The Soviet’s courage and endurance has 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 ,n a communique relating to the recent Anglo-Soviet treaty: “Full understanding was reached between the two parties with regard to the urgent tasks |of creating a second front in Europe in 1942 ”