3,000,000 CASUALTIES

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21534, 24 September 1941, Page 5

3,000,000 CASUALTIES

GERMAN LOSSES IN RUSSIA M. MAISKY EXPOSES MORE NAZI LIES appeal for help from democratic countries (Received Sept. 24, 11.30 a.m.) (Official Wireless; RUGBY, Sept. 23 In a speech at an American Chamber of Commerce gathering in London, M. Maisky, Russian Ambassador, dealing with the Russian-German campaign, said: — “ The assertion of the German High Command that their losses to August 31 amounted to a little more than 400,000 men, including 6900 fliers, and 725 aircraft can only be considered ridiculous. It is enough to look at the losses in the air war. “ Taking an average of three fliers per machine, for both bombers and fighters, on their own showing the losses of German planes should be 2300, not 725. But even this does not fully expose the lies. “ According to a conservative estimate the actual losses suffered by Germany consist of some 3,000,000 men killed, wounded or missing. The number of German planes destroyed within the first three months of the war in the East is something like 8500. About one-third of the whole German army is now hors-de-combat.” M. Maisky, however, did not minimise the seriousness of the situation due to the Russian loss, the occupation of important industrial districts and the necessary destruction of plant by the Russians themselves. From the democratic and freedom-loving countries he appealed for help in the way of more aeroplanes and more tanks. “In sending help,” said M. Maisky, “ these countries cannot but realise that they are helping themselves.” Freedom of Religion in Russia !

M. Maisky disposed of miscon- < ceptions regarding the freedom of J worship in Russia. “In spite of what is thought by j so many people religions in the country are not persecuted and every j citizen has the right to believe or I not believe according to his con- i science. Article 124 of the Stalin j Constitution reads: ‘ln order to j ensure to citizens freedom of con- j science the Church in the. Union of ! Soviet Socialist Republic is separated from the State and the school from j the Church. The freedom of religious worship and freedom of antireligion propaganda is recognised for all citizens.’ “This article is quite clear and is by no means a dead letter. Indeed, in 1940 in Russia there were over j 30,000 independent religious communities of every kind, over 8000 churches, and about 60,000 priests and ministers of religion. The believers are actively religious, have frequent services, marry in church, christen their children, and have religious funerals.” M. Maisky also mentioned that in the new Polish army now being created on the territory of Russia Roman Catholic chaplains are admitted to administer to the forces. Tense Situation Faced After referring to the German losses, M. Maisky added: "Nevertheless the German war machine is still strong and Russia is facing a tense and difficult situation. The Russians have been forced to evacuate a number of factories and plants, and some time will elapse before they are able to restart on new sites. "Neither autumn nor winter will bring the war to a standstill on the eastern front. The Soviet has the right to expect the co-operation of the other freedom-loving countries.” Russians’ Successes In the Smolensk sector, where the strongest counter-attacks are still taking place, the Russians have scored an important success. In fact, the counter-attack; in this area are now taking the proportions of an offensive. Marshal Timoshenko has ■mashed eight German divisions around Yelnia and thrown the enemy back 20 miles. North-east of Smolensk, in the Yartsevo area, the Russians claim to have crippled 10 German divisions and to have advanced from six to 10 miles on a 60-mile front. The enemy is retreating through a narrow bottle-neck and is being con- j stantly pounded by Russian aircraft ; and artillery. One report states that ] the retreat has become a rout. A Moscow communique states: “ In | five days of fierce fighting in one sec- ‘ tor of the western front, our troops annihilated six German infantry battalions and captured seven guns, 30 mine-throwers, 15 trench mortars, eight machine-guns and other equipment including over 800 shells and scores of bicycles. In another sector we killed about 400 Germans and destroyed eight tanks, four armoured cars, 25 lorries and nine motorcycles in two days of fighting. In a sector on the southern front, we heavily defeated the Fourth Rumanian Alpine Brigade, killing 600 men and capturing 42 machine-guns, 275 automatic guns and a large quantity of ammunition. In the fighting on all fronts on Monday we destroyed 100 German aeroplanes for the loss of 21.” The Soviet has ordered the relaxation of the blackout in the city of Moscow, and will permit the illumination of squares and principal streets, except during air raids. Until now the city has been darkened completely. A Finnish communique states that the Russians have been forced to evacuate the islands in the northern part of Lake Ladoga. The retreating Russians caused some destruction cn Valamo Island. Enemy's Shortage of Oil In the three months of their war against Russia, Germany and her satellites have consumed 5.000.000 tons of oil from the reserve of 7,000,000, and will soon be forced to tap current supplies, production of which does not at present cover more than one-third of the Germans’ requirements, says the Moscow newspaper —ravda.

REVIEW OF SITUATION GERMANS’ BIG LOSSES VERY SEVERE FIGHTING (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 24, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 23 A military commentator, reviewing the position of the fighting in the East from reliable information available in London, stated: In the north there is no further news from the Murmansk sector, where enemy activity has been greater recently. On the Karelian Isthmus the Russians appear to be successfully holding the Finns on approximately a line of the old frontier and to have inflicted very heavy casualties on the Finnish troops. Very heavy losses, too, are reported to have been inflicted on the German forces attacking Leningrad, where, though very severe fighting continues, there is no appreciable change in the position. Particularly heavy losses have apparently been suffered by officers in this sector, and it is learned from prisoners in some units that twothirds of the officers are casualties. The weather is very cold and wst and the forest area around Leningrad is becoming boggy. In The neighbourhood of Glokhov, 120 miles north-east from Kiev, there are reports of successful local Russian counter-attacks. Heavy Fighting Near Kiev. In the Kiev sector heavy fighting continues, but there is no news of the success of Marshal Budenny in withdrawing his forces from the encircling German armies. It appears that at least part of these forces has succeeded in eluding the Germans and taken up new defensive positions and the remainder is fighting. Further unsuccessful enemy attacks against Odessa, which still holds out, have been repulsed, with heavy losses to the enemy. In the extreme south there is no further information regarding the German advance but it is considered that the German claim to have reached Marivpol, three-quarters of the way along the northern shore of the Sea of Azov, must be treated with the greatest reserve. Most of the successful Russian counter-attacks are still in the central sector round Smolensk, where the position is very difficult to estimate. Russian Commander Captured A Berlin communique states: Fifty Soviet divisions can be regarded as having been destroyed eastward of Kiev. The prisoners include the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Fifth Russian Army. A Soviet communique states: Our troops were engaged during the night in fighting the enemy along the entire front.