Evening star., 1940-03-04
Attacks on viipuri
From Three Sides
Repe||ed, Say Firms
1900 Russians Reported
Slain Northwest of
Lake Lodoeo

WELLES GIVEN VIEW Of west
front lines in leaving Reich;
Dieckhoff says farewell to U. 8.
emissary. Page AS
HOPES TO HAVE 5000 in interna-
tional brigade, says Kermit Roose-
velt; expects to reach Finland
soon to take up post as colonel.
Page A
MORE NAZI UNITS reported ar
irving on western front; activity
mounting In numerous local
clashes. Page A
GERMANY APOLOGIES to Bel
GUM for planes battle; prepared
Immediately to consider indemnity
Page A-6
ADMIRAL RAEDER, Nazi Navy
chief, pledges respect for United
States ships; every possible con-
sideration to be shown, he says.
Page AS
POPE PRAYS ANEW for peace in
mass marking Gath birthday; serv-
ice for inhabitants of Rome also
marks election year ago. Page B-6
By the Associated Press.
HELSINKI, March 4.-The Fin
nish high command announced to-
day that its forces, fighting invading
Russians almost at the gates of
Viipuri, had repelled attacks aimed
at the city from three sides.
In addition the Firms reported
fighting in the Arctic region far to
the north. near Petsamo, and north
east of Lake Ladoga, where they
said 1900 Russians were killed.
The attacks against Viipuri were
beaten back yesterday. according to
the daily army communique, as the
Russians attempted to advance
across the ice of the Bay of Viipari,
at second point between the bay
and the vuoksi River, and at third
point near Ayrapaa, a few miles
further to the northeast.
Planes Back Up Attack.
AS the Russians continued to pour
a heavy land fire into deserted Viii
puri the Soviet air force backed ur
the attack with an aerial onslaught.
The Firms for their part said their
own air force bombed enemy COL
umns and sites of assembly,"
On the eastern flank of the 18TH
mus front the Firms reported heavy
artillery exchanges in the Taipale
sector, but made no mention of new
Russian attacks. The communique
mentioned heavy" Russian losses
in the fighting around Viipuri, but
did not estimate the casualties.
In the Far North, the Firms said
their forces had driven the Rus
slams back about 2 miles from Nautsi
to which the spearhead of the Red
Army drive penetrated last week
Nautsi is about 60 miles southwest
Of Petsamo.
Red War Planes Active.
The communique said Russian wal
planes had been active yesterday
supporting ground troops on the
isthmus and bombing areas behine
the front. Lappeenranta, about 3t
miles northwest of Viipuri, was de.
scribed as hardest hit.
The Firms said that SO far a.
could be ascertained there had beer
no civilian casualties, and an.
nounced that four Russian planes
had been shot down.
Yesterday the high command an.
nounced that 1000 Russians had
been slain at Kollaa, northeast O,
Lake Ladoga, where their attacks
were repulsed by artillery fire.
On other fronts, where savage
fighting was said still to be ir
progress, the Finnish communiuus
yesterday reported gains on thu
eastern side of the Karelian Isthmu.
where the Russian invaders have
failed to dent the Mannerheim Line
and at Kuhmo and Salla on the
eastern front.
Where the Karelian Isthmus de.
fense lines are intact, well-timed
artillery fire was reported to have
inflicted heavy losses on the enemy
lines.
Several of the enemy's strons
(See FINLAND, Page A-12)