Evening star., 1941-10-19
Nazi>1nspired Peace Offensive
Seen If Russians Are Defeated
Official Quarters Fear New Axis Proposals May
Be More Successful With Shocked
Western Democracies
By Constantine BrOu,n.

The awakening is hard. While there
is still some hope that the Russians may
be able to hold on, military observers
fear that the backbone of the Soviet
armies has been broken and that any
possible resistance in the future must
depend on supplies coming from the
United States And it would take many
! months before material of real conse-
quence could reach the Ural positions
which the Russians are likely to take up
as their last stand. One of the Russian
military men expressed his views on the
situation to the American experts who
accompanied w. Averell Hartman to
Moscow: You gentlemen think in terms
of months or even years. We are under
the German guns and must think in
terms of weeks or months at the utmost"
Big Transportation Problem.
The difficulties of sending aid to Rus
sia are not insuperable but it is expected
to take long time before continuous
flow can be established. The Persian
railway system must be completely over
hauled before the United States can
start transporting supplies to the
Caucasus. Not less than 300 heavy loco
motives would have to be sent to
Vladivostok to enable the trans-Siberian
railway, geared for normal traffic, to cope
with the vast quantities of war material
we intend to ship across the Pacific. And
these are only a few of the technical
difficulties which we will be compelled
to face in our task of aiding the Russian
armies to continue the struggle. The
British are now sending heavy bombers
to the Russians. This can continue only
so long as the Luftwaffe withholds its
attacks on the isles.
Experts in Washington estimate that
the Soviet forces have suffered heavier
losses in war material than in men. AS
a result many military observers here are
taking with grain of salt the statements
coming from Moscow that the armies
are retreating in order, and will continue
the struggle to the bitter end. The spirit
of the Russians has not been broken and
observers say that, given a chance, they
would even resume operations against the
Nazis. But bravery and heroism are of
little avail in these days of mechanical
warfare.
Nazi Striking Power.
The present situation has convinced
many American military observers that
it might have been better all round if
the Russo-German war had never oc-
CURED. 1t is true that the Germans have
suffered terrific losses. They must have
lost-together with their allies-at least
100 divisions before the last gigantic Of
fensive. That is to say, the Nazi losses
alone are conservatively estimated up
to october at about 10 divisions lover
100000 mem. Their losses in war ma
terial are nowhere near compensated for
by the booty captured from the Rus
slams. But despite these losses, they
would still have some 1870 divisions availa-
bic for other operations this winter Their
factories, spread all over the industrial
regions of Europe. continue to produce
large quantities of tanks and airplanes.
Hence, the Nazis still possess a striking
power-in the event Russian COL
lapse.
On the other hand too many high
hopes have been built up since the end
of June on the advantages of Russia
fighting with the Allies. The people of
Britain now realize that the last re-
manning army in Europe which could
have been permanent danger to Hitler
is melting away like the snow in the
spring.
The outcry of the British people for
an offensive in Western Europe to re-
lieve the pressure against the Russians
is not likely to be listened to. The Brit
ish government is in no position to risk
such an operation because of the lack of
shipping. And another Narvik or Crete
would be fatal Even the stout-hearted
British are likely to lose courage if the
remaining forces of the Russians with
draw into the Urals and Hitler succeeds
in establishing free" puppet govern
ment on the Vlchy pattern in the occu-
pied areas.
Since the first successes of the Nazis
against the Soviets early in June there