Evening star., 1941-08-25
HeavyWeek. END Rain
Adds 10 Difficulties
OF Nazis in Russia
Dirt Rouds and Fields
Made Like FIypoper by
Unreasonable Weather
By A, r. STEELE,

Dy Ehs - ~ ASAIB
Fureien Correspondent Of The Star and
MOSCOW, Aug. 25.-Weeping skies
drenched Northern Russia during
the week end, turning the battle
fields into what British general
has called an excellent imitation
Of marmalade."
The unreasonable three-day rain
fall has added to the difficulties in
the way of Germany's "all-weather
army" especially in the swampy
Leningrad area where the fiercest
battle of the war is approaching a
climax.
Aerial operations are necessarily
restricted and panzer attacks are
hampered. For the Russians the
downpour is an extra dividend for
normally the weather is clear at this
time of the year The autumn rains
usually begin late in September or
early in October, followed in No
vember or December by snow.
Paved highways are few. When
the rains come, dirt roads and fields
are like hypaper.
For three days the communiques
have told only of severe fighting In
various directions" Russian re-
ports make it evident, however, that
prodigious pressure is being applied
on Leningrad from the south and
west. No one denies the situation
there is serious.
Nazis Using Trench Mortars.
Beside panzer units and Stukas,
the Germans are making great use
of trench mortars-the time-honored
weapon which has come back into
favor and is playing an enormously
important role. Modern stream
lined mortars, with an effective
range of 1000 or 5000 yards, are be-
ing employed by the Nazis In Sec
tors were resistance is especially
fierce. in order to pour concentrated
fire into the frontline Russian posi-
tions.
This indicates German recognition
of the obstinate courage OF 1nd1vld-
ual Russian soldiers, who are not
as easily terrorized by, dive-bombers
and tanks as were other foes the
Germans have met. In hand-to-
hand combat, the Russians probably
are superior to the Nazis.
On the Ukrainian front in the
South, Adolf Hitler's divisions con-
tinue their effort to push back and
crush large units of Marshal Semyon
Budyenny's army against the wide
arc of the Dnieper River. But the
Soviet rear guard apparently Is Of
fering stubborn resistance in the
zone west of the river. Every day
the Russians can prolong this COW
erine action their chances improve
for preparation of a formidable front
along the river itself.
Kiev. pivot of the southern front
where the Russians have made
magnificent stand. and the port OF
Odessa, now called the Russian
Tobruk. are conceded to be in grave
Jeopardy.
Only on the central front opposite
Moscow is the situation relatively
stable. There the Nazis seem to be
digging in and awaiting the out
come of the contest for Leningrad,
which has a most important bearing
on Moscow's position.
Willing to Sacrifice Territory.
To discuss Soviet tactics is ex-
tremely difficult, for it must be re-
membered that no Russian OBJ
server in Russia has more than an
approximate idea Of the situation.
But it is a mistake to suppose that
the Russians are blind to Hitler's
primary aim, which Is to macerate
the Soviet armies and cripple Rus
sia as a military force.
As near as those Of us sitting here
can make out, Russian policy gen.
orally is motivated by two main
considerations-to deal maximum
damage to the opposing force while
at the same time sacrificing terri
tory when necessary, rather than
to submit to wholesale destruction.
Military observers speak well OF
the orderliness Of the Soviet with
drawal, as far as they have been
able to see it, and they comment
Also on the manner in which COM
munications are maintained behind
the front. OF course, the impor-
tancs of cities in the path Of the
German attack is another factor
affecting the degree of Soviet re-
sistance. There is none here who
doubts that the Russians are pre-
pared to make enormous sacrifices
IN defense of such cities as Lenin-
Rrad and Moscow.
Copyright. 1941. by Chicago Daily News.