Evening star., 1939-10-06

state with population of 36 mil
lions and corresponding military
strength, and if during this whole
period our victorious arms have not
suffered a single setback, this can
not be ascribed simply to good luck
but constituted certain proof of fine
training. excellent leadership and
indomitable courage.
German Soldiers Have
Right to Wear Laurels.
German soldiers have once more
firmly established the right to wear
the laurel wreath of which they
were meanly deprived in 1918. We
all owe debt of deep, solemn graf
itude to many unknown, unnamed
heroes of our people For the first
time they came from every province
Of Germany to serve with the colors
But the blood which was shed
in a common cause will form a
closer bond of union than could be
forged by the mere structure of a
state.
Our knowledge of the strength
of our fighting forces fills us all with
"a well of confidence, for they have
not only proved that they are
strong in attack, but also that they
are strong in retaining what they
have won. The excellent training
received by the individual officers
and men has been amply justified
1t is this training which is respon-
sible for the extremely few casual
ties-hsrd as they are for the indi-
vidual to bear-are on the whole
far less than we ventured to expect.
Admittedly, the total number of
casualties gives no idea of the Sc
verify of the various encounters,
for certain regiments and divisions
suffered very heavy losses when they
were attacked by Polish forces
which were numerically superior or
came into conflict with such forces
when they themselves were attack
ing.
Germans RepulSed Attack
OF Superior Polish Force.
1 believe I need refer to only two
episodes which serve as examples for
many in the long series of battles
and encounters which followed each
other in such rapid succession:
When, in order to cover the advance
of Col. Gen. Won Reichenau's armies
toward the Vistula, divisions of Col.
Gen. Blaskowitz's armies were mov-
ing in formation of the direction of
Warsaw, with the objective of turn
ing an attack launched by the Polish
central army against Gen. Won
Reichenau's flank. Blaskowitz's army
was suddenly attacked on the march
by the Polish Army, the main Sec
ton of which had been assumed to
be retreating toward the Vistula.
This was desperate attempt on
the part of the Polish to break the
ring which threatened to inclose
them. Four Polish divisions and
several cavalry contingents hurled
themselves against one single Ger
man regular division, which being in
extended formation had to defend
line nearly 19 miles in length.
Despite the fact that the enemy
outnumbered them by five or six to
one and that the men were over
fatigued, having been fighting or on
the march for several days, this di-
vision bore the brunt of the attack
which it repulsed, partly fighting at
close quarters, neither retreating nor
wavering, until the necessary rein
forcements were brought up.
And while the enemy was tri-
umphantly broadcasting the news
that they had got through to
Lodz, the general of the division, his
wounded arm in splints, was report
ing to me on the details of the at
tack, the failure of the attempt to
break through our lines and the
courageous behavior Of his men. OF