DESPERATE RESISTANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 61, 15 March 1943, Page 5

DESPERATE RESISTANCE

RUSSIANS HOLD ON AT KHARKOV DRIVING TOWARD SMOLENSK (By Telegraph—Prese Association—Copyright) Reed. 10.50 p.m. London, March 14. Though heavily outnumbered in men, tanks and planes, the Russian defenders of Kharkov are still resisting desperately. A front-line despatch to Pravda says the situation is serious. The German news agency’s claim that Kharkov had been recaptured has been modified by the German High Command. Red Star says the Russian resistance at Kharkov is growing, slowing the enemy advance and inflicting mounting losses.

The military correspondent of the Daily Express, Morley Rich-

ards, believes there is hope for Kharkov as long as the defendercan hold the left bank of the Donetz River. If the Russians are driven from the Donetz the city’s eastern communications will be threatened and it may be necessary to withdraw from the position.

A German communique states* Embittered fighting continues in some districts of Kharkov Wallen Stormtroopers smashed Russian resistance, penetrated as far as the Kharkov railway station and occupied the station yards. The communique also clams that German divisions west of Byelgorod, attacking on a wide front, captured Akhtyrka, Graivoron and Bogodukhav.

The Russians are driving a broad wedge between Viazma and Smolensk, reports Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow. Their right flank has been considerably advanced towards Yartsevo, which is 40 miles north-east of Smolensk. The Red Army’s left flank is biting more deeply between the head waters of the Dneiper and Viazma, thrusting towards Nikitinka. Marshal Timoshenko’s troops, fighting among the bogs on the south bank of Lake Ilmen, have broken into the German strongholds guarding Staraya Russa from the north. Five villages •were taken in a series of swift encircling moves. Berlin rado admitted that 100,000 Russian men, women and children are being moved back with the German troops from evacuated areas in Central Russia.

A special Soviet communique stated: "On March 12 Soviet troops on the central front, commanded by Col-onel-General Sokolvsky, by a decisive attack, occupied the town and railway junction of Viazma. During fighting for the town our troops captured booty including eight planes, 83 tanks, 69 guns or various calibre, 222 machine-guns, 656 lorries, 57 railway engines, 515 wagons and a great quantity of shells, mines and ammunition. The booty is still being counted. The enemy lost over 9000 in killed alone. The German news agency claims the recapture of Kharkov. A German High Command communique issued some hours earlier stated that the Germans had penetrated into Kharkov city from several sides and added that violent street fighting was progressing. Moscow does not admit the loss of Kharkov. Press dispatches from Moscow say that a ferocious battle m the Kharkov area may reach the terrors of the momentous struggle for Stalingrad. Simultaneously two greit Russian armies are converging against Smolensk, Hitler’s biggest base in central Russia. A gigantic tug-of-war is going on in these vital sections, and victory on either front may have enormous repercussions on the other. The giant antagonists are grimly thrusting on with their respective offences, possibly aiming by their own successes to force the enemy to relinquish his drive in a sector hundreds of miles away. A victory would thus be doubi'e-edged and may go to the army which outstays

the other in a shattering drive. Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow says the strength of the Ger man coun-ter-attacks, in which big tank forces are being used, proves that the Germans are making an enormous effort to halt the Russian offensive. Everywhere the German attacks at present are differing from their previous counter-strokes which, on a comparatively small scale, were designed to re-take vantage points and seal up breaches. The Germans now are generally throwing in much larger forces supported fairly strongly by the Luftwaffe with more ambitious aims. The whole of the 600-mile front from Leningrad to Kharkov is very fluid and once the offensive gains momentum it will be most difficult to halt as has been instanced on the central front.

The Russians are fighting sc»ithwaro from Byeloi within 40 miles ol the Viazma-Smolensk railway wnich the Germans are using to bring back troop.- and supplies alter the abandonment of Viazma. The Russians, overcoming the difficulties arising from the tnaw, are using pontoons to cross rivers .’.nd swamps and are mopping up parcels ot Germans during their advance. The Stockholm correspondent ol The Times believes t/iat a prolonged German stand is unlikely until the heavily fortified Smolensk area, one of the strongest in Russia, is reached. Smolensk is not immediately endangered. The Germans do not appear to be reconciled to shortening tne front by further withdrawals oelow the Viazma-Smolensk line and may, after their offensive against is.harn.ov, intend to maintain the Orel salient. Comparing the present position o. the Russian and German armies, Moscow radio says the Red Army is aoie to continue its offensive on almost an sec ton, thereby increasing the breaches in the German lines. Wehrmacht has progressed in one sector only and that temporarily. •’Clearly the transfer of divisions

eastward greatly weakened the German defences in west Jturope ana despite the drafting of hundreus o± thousands of women to the factories the Germans are unaoie to send sufff••int men to the front to oreak tne Busstan resistance," tne radio added. “Goebbels’ vast reserves exist only on pape. The R.A.F. raids are increasing the difficulties Of Hitlers hinterland wnich will be more critical in the fourth year tnan ever. Hitler has lea Germany into a terrible catastropne an i total mobilisation will oe as useless as straw to a drowning man." Claiming the recapture ui iMiarkov the German news agency said: “Tne Geimai. break-through to the centre ot Kharkov was made within the framework ot a large-scale operation covering a thickly populated area westward of the uonetz. ihe Germans after the destruction of three Russian assault armies in the southern region, speedily earned on northward, the Germans gradually occupying and dominating railways and roads. The peak ol the assault cam* when tanks encircled Kharkov and, concentrically advancing, reached and

captured Red Square, the heart of the city. Here the Russians threw in all their available reserves and street lighting, unparalleled in ferocity, continues in tiie southern section.”