RUSSIA PRINCIPAL WAR THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 293, 12 December 1941, Page 5

RUSSIA PRINCIPAL WAR THEATRE

GERMANS FEEL THE WINTER (Recd. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby. Dec. 10. The connection between the Russian and the Libyan fronts, on both of which the situation is more favourable to the Allies, was discussed by The Times, which begins by observing that, although events in the Pacific are of an importance to the British Empire and the United States which cannot be exaggerated, we do not forget that Russia is still the principal theatre of war. There the bulk of the vast German army is engaged. Upon this great force depend all other activities of Germany herself, as well as those of her allies and satellites. "The Germans themselves.” says The Times, “completely reversing all former propaganda announced that the weather was the chief barrier to

their further progress and that Moscow will have to wait until next year. The weather, in fact, is just what they professed themselves to be praying for. In short, while mud and rain, bogies of the past, are no more, the ground is iron hard and the latest temperature record from Moscow is 36 degrees of frost. This is a real Russian winter. They said it would not prove a menace to movement, and perhaps they are right*—but it is proving a menace to something more important, to life itself.’’ The Times then observes: "A German failure in Russia, if followed by comparative stabilisation and an opportunity for reorganisation might actually entail new difficulties for our arms in North Africa by making additional forces available to the enemy—and Libya itself is not their only possible destination. We must, therefore, endeavour to gain as speedily as posable all lhe advantages which can be extracted from th® gradually improving situation. Despite setbacks there can be no doubt that the battle, so far as it has gone already, represents a decisive success.’’ 8.0.W.