The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-30
Reports From Front
 Very Much Enlivened
Continued from Page D

for an armistice. Thirty-nine days from the start of the offensive into Russia Germany had overrun more square miles of territory than in Western Europe but had failed to break the fighting power of the Red Army and still appeared far from any of her goals-crusing of Russian military power or seizure of the three main Soviet cities of Lenin- grad, Moscow and Kisv.
 German communiques still glowed with confidence but have become increasingly chary of geographic claims. No official Nazi claim of any specific success on the main battle fronts has been made since the German high command claimed the capture of Smolensk two weeks ago today. After IA days of con- tinuous fighting in the Smoler six area there is strong grounds for belief the city Is actually still in Russian hands.
 In London there was an evident increase in optimism despite Prime Minister Winston Churchill's warn ing against such fesiing yester- day.
 Hopkins arrived in Moscow as the Russian military communiques for the first time since the start of the Nazi attack had taken on & tone of guarded optimism. They reported that on several portions of the long front the Soviet has seized the initiative.
 Smolensk Fighting
 Particularly in the Smolensk re- zion, the Russians reported, their counter attacks have forced the Ger mans back while to the German rear Guerrilla action was said to be on such a scale that the Nazis had been forced to divert tanks, armored cars and motorcycle units to deal with 1t,
 The midnight Soviet communique mentioned a new fighting sector, that of Novorzhev, west of the Porkhov-Nevel line and 130 miles north northwest of Vitebsk. Novor- shev is only 40 miles from the Lativan eastern border.
 Soviet spokesmen claimed that the Germans have suffered l,5000o0 casualties since the war started, losing 5000 tanks and 5000 planes. The German high command ad- mitted that new Soviet counter-at- tacks had been launched in the Smolersk region, describing them as an attempt to relieve encircled Rus sian troops east of the city and claimed 1t had been beaten of. Nazi news agencies claimed that two Soviet divisions had been encircled "west of Lake Peipus," a region some miles west of where all previous reports of fighting had been made
 In the far east Japanese army forces "protectively" occupied number of important U. s. proper ties in Northeast China, however in Tokyo 1t was said that the prop critics were vacuated and that the occupation was misunderstanding
 Fifteen Japanese transports ar rived at Saigon to land part of the Japanese occupation forces of 40,. 900 troops. At Singapore the Brit ish said they were ready for any developments and particularly foi any Japanese move against Hhai. land. They said the sovereignty oi Thailand, must be preserved. It wal revealed that fertilization of the important island of Borneo has beer undertaken. Tokyo placed export ol raw silk and silk fibers under export license and announced that an of ficial denial had been received iron the Dutch East Indies that the oi agreement had been abrogated Munitions stocks advanced on tht stock exchange Other shares lost three to four points.