The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-15

MNoHfam against Russia in the north mnd any combination that opposes Japan m the south. Most neutral oNsaryors have believed that the northern thrust was most likely in event of . Russian collapse because lS would be more difficult for the allied powers to interfere.
 Whether the Konoye government was ready for such an adventure was by no means clear, but the pres sure seemed to continue in that di- rection and probably will be decided hy the outcome of the German drive on Moscow.
 Moscow, Berlin Indefinite
 Neither Moscow nor Berlin gave @ofinite positions around Moscow. The Germans claimed, however, that Nazt panxer columns with tanks roaring along the highways four abreast behind dive-bomber attacks had mashed through the Tula sec- Cor south of the Soviet capital and the Kalinin sector to the north.
 These columns, 1t was suggested, may now be within 50 or 60 miles Of Moscow and are encountering only second-rate Red army oppoSi- ton.
 Moscow dispatches admitted en- enny gains on the north and south but said that the German drives had been slowed or halted on some sectors and indicated the enemy had gAiled to push closer than 63 miles from Moscow on the west.
 The Moscow fronts, according to war dispatches from both sides and from London, showed the following:
 West - The German sm ash through Vyama to Mozhaisk, 63 miles from the capital, apparently had been brought to a halt for the time being as 1t rammed into the concentric defense line around the city. Berlin's communique was de- voted to repeating that 5oo,ooO prisoners were taken In the Vyazma- Bryansk sector, bringing the total Co 5000 900 and indication total Russian casualties of 6,000,000 men. London estimated total Russian losses at 3000,0o0 and German losses at 100000 men.
 North - The Russians acknowl- edged that they were fighting in the area of Kalinin, important railroad and canal town 100 miles from Mos SOW, and London believed that the Germans may have taken Rzhev southwest of Kalinin. Both points are important from the communica- tions viewpoint, but they also indi- cated the German attempt to en- circle Moscow (and thus entrap the whole Russian central army) has progressed to e point due north of the city.
 German Planes Leading
 Masses of German planes were re- ported leading the Naz tank drive on this sector, but the Russians again said their armies had avoid cd entrapment and inflicted losses un the enemy.
 Gouth-The Germans claimed un- cfflcially to have pushed to with about 100 miles of Moscow, and Lon- don expressed fear that Nad ad- Vanoes in the Kaluga-Tula sector threatened to entrap the mass of Russian defenders west of the capi- tal. The Russians reported heavy fighAAng in the Bryansk direction hMg gave no positions to indicate the extent of enemy advance beyond that sector, where the pro-Nazi Hell asnki radio claimed that the Ger mans had taken Kaluga.
 There was general agreement from Berlin, London and Moscow that the fighting continued on 8 big scale, with many thousands of tanks and airplanes in action, on half circle that extended roughly 100 miles from the capital on the north, west and south with the Germans closest Go their goal on the west.
 The Germans acknowledged that they were encountering strong forti- 7lcations--boistered by many thous- ands of Russian civilians in the last few days-but claimed that only s'second rate troops were left to de- lend the Russian capital.
 Dispatches from London and Mos < COW, however, emphasized that the main Russian armies had escaped @ncirclement, which was partly in- dinated by the fact that German claims of prisoners taken on the central front were less extravagant eitAn had been hinted.
 Mud and snow apparently him. asred the German operations to a limited extent and radio reports told aR an intense cold wave sweeping westward from Siberia, where some areas had reported 21 degrees below Wnro.
 The Germans continued to bomb