Evening star., 1939-12-28

Front May Feel
Waves Of Attack
Observer Sees Soviet
Stalking Prestige Next
In Marrow Strip
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
ELIOT.
The Russian attack on FINLAND
appears to be at a momentary
standstill. Its nature Is now fairly
clear-a series of attacks on thu
Mannerheim Line and north of Lake
Ladoga intended not strictly a:
holding attacks but designed to gair
ground if possible and, at all events
to occupy the attention of the
major part of the Finnish force:
while in the north three converg.
ing columns swept into and across
Finland to the Gulf of Bothnla
cutting off the rail connection with
Sweden, closing the ports on the
Gulf of Bothnia which the Russian
Navy (unable to force the Alano
barrier could not reach, and even
tually surrounding the Finnish Army
in the south.
This attempt at a modlflec
Schneffen plan definitely has failed
for the same reason that the
Schlieffen plan failed in 1914. The
main attacking wing was not strong
enough. But in 1914 the German
right wing was not strong enough
because of the ineptitude of the
Younger Moltke. In 1889 the Rus
sian striking forces in the north
we're not strong enough because
SUFFICIENT strength simply could not
be maintained by the exceedingly
exiguous communications available
Mastery Defense.
The strategy adopted by Baron
Mannerheim, the Finnish COM
mander in chief, can only be de-
scribed as mastery He held the
Mannerheim Line with minimum
forces, making use here OF large
numbers of his reserves which coulo
not, because of lack of proper equip
ment, take the field as mobile
troops. He sent his best troops
north. allowed the Russian columns
to advance we'll into the country
then swooped. upon their communi-
cations and their fanks. The re-
suit is that the Russians are re-
ported back where they were after
the first week of the war. They
certainly have sustained heavy
losses. and used up much OF their
arduously assembled supplies.
The White Sea has now frozen
over and there will be no more use
of the extra rail line to Arkhan-
gelsk. All operations to the north
of Lake Ladoga are now dependent
on the single line of the Muir
mansk Railway, and the Interrupt
ton of traffic on this line becomes
as far as any northern operations
are concerned, the principal objec-
tive OF the Firms.
Whether the Finnish force which
Is reported invading Russian terri
tory east of Lieksa can reach and
interrupt the railway may be
doubted. In order to do much good
1t would have to maintain itself
astride the rail line, in most eX-
posed position and with very diff
cult communications.
Mere Raid of Little Value.
A mere raid would not help very
much. Similar operations in the
Civil War, destroying miles of rail
line, rarely effected any actual in
terruption of traffic for very long
after the raiding force had with
drawn. More continuous if less
thorough destruction can be OBJ
tanned by air attacks, though the
japanese in China and the Nation
alists in Spain did not have much
luck in actually cutting rail COM
munications by air bombing. Prob
ably the best the Firms can hope
for is to keep the Russian COM
manders worried, to interrupt traf-
ific enough so that it will never be
safe to count on even few days
unimpeded use of the line, and so
prevent any really large scale re-
sumption of the Russian offensive
In the north-which in any case will
be difficult enough as winter closes
In.
All in all, it is probable that as
far as the north is concerned, Man.
nerheim plus Russian ineptitude and
Old Man Winter have saved Finland
until spring. The Russians may
have one mere try, using what re-
Inducements they have Immediately
available and the remnants Of their
supplies. If that fails, they cannot
hope for much in this sector for
several months.
But in the south there may be a
different story. It is becoming q
matter of both internal and ex-
ternal prestige for the present rul-
ers of Russia to overcome Finnish
resistance, to be able to point to a
final victory which will wipe out
initial setbacks. From IIeningrad
to the Mannerheim Line, the dis
tance is comparatively short, the
communications much better than
in the north.
Numbers May Break Line.
Here is the most likely theater for
the Russians to use the fresh troops