Evening star., 1941-10-10
The Drive Rolls On

When Adolf Hitler broke five
months silence by his speech at the
Berlin SportSpalaSt, some of his
words made military students
throughout the world prick up their
ears After stating that Russia "is
already broken he went on to say
that his armies had launched new
offensive "of gigantic proportions"
and that these operations already
had begun two days before
Although German news agencies
and even official SpokeSmen have
not hesitated to make exaggerated
or false statements, Hitler himself
usually has been chary in his utter
ances, especially regarding military
movements. Yet here he made dis
closures of a specific character. The
logical inference was that he would
not have riSked his prestige with his
own people unless he were sure Of
his ground. Therefore, military
critics assumed that the climax of
the German campaign in Russia was
at hand, with the chances favoring
some degree of success for the in
vaders. The only question was as to
just where the main offensive would
take place
In the week that has elapsed, the
picture is becoming fairly clear.
There can Be little doubt that the
chief offensive is on the extensive
middle front, where the army group
of Marshal Timoshenko is massed to
defend the approaches to Moscow,
the Soviet capital. This army group
is supposed to be the strongest and
best equipped force which remains
in being, after the terrific hammer
ingS of Marshal Budennys armies in
the south and the locking up of so
much of Marshal Voroshilov's forces
in beseiged Leningrad. Indeed,
until recently, TimoShenko himself
had been attacking the Germans
around Smolensk, though his effen-
sive never developed more than local
success
Even ii one discounts the sweeping
claims made by Otto Dietrich. the
Nazi press chief, and other official
statements, the new German drive
seems to have acquired tremendous
momentum, especially on its right
wing. There the Russians admit the
loss ofsthe important railway Juno
ton of Orel, a city nearly 100 miles
east Of the former Russian battle
front In like fashion, the German
center seems to have pushed for
ward some fifty miles to Wanna, on
the direct road to Moscow. Only
the left wing, far to the northWard,
seemingly has made little progress.
Yet it is characteristic of German
strategy to make rapid tactical
shifts, so it is by no means sure that
an equally powerful thrust will not
be made there, too.
AS a result of undoubted breaks
through the Soviet defense to Orel
and Wanna, the Germans claim
large Soviet forces trapped in pincer
movements and doomed to destruc-
ton. To a degree, this probably is
true. London takes a dark view of
the situation, fearing that COM
munications between Timoshenko
and Budenny soon will be cut. Incl
dentally, Budenny is being ham
mered by vigorous German thrust
along the northern shore of the Sea
OF Azoy, aimed at the key port city
Of Rostov-on-Don
Even Moscow is beginning to admit
the gravity of the situation. Pravda,
the official newspaper, urges all
Soviet citizens to rally wholeheart-
edly against the supreme peril, while
Red Fleet, the official navy organ,
adjures Britain to relieve the pres
sure by an invasion of the continent.
Yet Britain evidently does not feel
able to embark on such an under
taking, not only because of con-
tingent' losses in men and equipment,
but also because of the shipping
which would have to be earmarked
for so great an expeditionary force.
In this supreme German bid for vic
tory on the eastern front, therefore,
the Russian armies seemingly must
rely primarily on their own efforts.