The Wanganui Chronicle. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1942. THE EASTERN FRONT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 114, 18 May 1942, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1942. THE EASTERN FRONT

r J"HE activity which has been initialed on the Eastern Front may i be divided into three distinct theatres: the Kerch Peninsula i in the Crimea, where position warfare is being conducted; the I Kharkov front, where the engagement is more fluid, comprising a i wide double sweep of the familiar pincer type; and in the region of Lake Umea, where the attacks are, more or less, of a frontal nature. The first two fronts are the expected moves in the opening of the spring campaign, and they are so obvious that it is difficult to give credence to the reports that either side was taken by surprise. The Germans launched their attack on Kerch in order to have a free southelm flank in any operations against Tagenrog and on to Rostov. Timoshenko’s obvious riposti, was to drive against Kharkov, and it is difficult to entertain the view that the Kerch operations were taken without due regard to the obvious reply lay the Russians. Further, if the Germans had a surprise weapon to put into operation, then they should have used it on a wide front and not on a narrow one. For them to have given away the element of surprise on a small-scale operation means that they have made a serious blunder or have other moves in contemplation. It is not possible at the moment to discern which is the correct answer. In the northern arena of active operations the Russians have presumably made a determined effort to forestall a German offensive against Leningrad. If Staraya Russa could be captured then the German position in the northern end of the line of battle would be much worse than it is now, and would make an offensive here less convenient. The Russians had evidently planned to quicken the pace at the northern end as soon as the enemy moved at the southern end. This would compel the German High Command to lake no risks in the north and would result in a diversion of German reserves to the extreme opposite end from their point of major concentration. The Russians, then, have two objectives or purposes in opening up an active front in the north at I his time of the year. __________