The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-23
Four Million Men In
 Bloodiest Conflict
tcontinued from Page D

the oil.rieh Caucasus, with Kiev and odessa as the immediate on- iectiVes.
 The Russians were reported fight inR hard and well on the first three fronts. On the fourth they were believed to have executed c Stra- tegio retreat to the old frontier along the Dneister river,
 Main RMttleileld
 Military experts here, though re. luetant to commit themselves so carly in such 6 gigantic military operation, inclined to the belief that tho fourth, the ukraine-cau- easus front, might prove the main battlefield.
 The Nazls have made no secret of their hope, In a drive through, this region, to reach Iran, Iraq and Syria and to threaten not only the Sue1 canal but Great Hritain's on. tire position in the Middle East.
 1t was suggested that Hitler would strike hardest here because If the Russians could hold him through the summer, and keep the Caucasus free, he would have lost tho war, observers believed.
 Factors which entered into the situation were the known quality of the German army and the ,,n- known quality of the vast Russian army; the need for Germany of oil and wheat and tho limited time the summer months in which these could he won from Russia.
 Experts said that Germany prob- ably could not continue . full scale war against Russia for three months without getting more oil,
 They watched for signs of how the Russians would hold up against tho terrific Impact of the German armored forces, Here for the first time the German army needed to march long distances and hold great areas of remote territory. It Is 600 miles, for instance, to Mos. COW from the frontier. Experts soresaw the need for Germany to maintain vast communications sys- tems along which It's mechanixed units would have to he strung. 0il Fields Vulnerable It was pointed out that Ru- mania's oil fields, on which Ger many now depends, were vulnerable to Russian airplane attack,
 There was no disposition here toward undue optimism, and the great question was whether the Russians would he able to hold the Germans on any front,
 However, the British Press asso- clation quoted sources close to Russ stan military quarters that the Rus. sian general staR knew 1t was al. most impossible to hold . German hlitSkrieg attack, and that 1t had worked out on audaciouS strategic plan under which 1t would leave only minor forces to Tesist the main German advances and put its greatest effort Into c counter invasion of . selected part of Ger. man territory. This plan 9oresaw that while the Germans would be driving through vast thinly.peopled Russian areas the Russians might drive Into thicklyspeopled Ger. many.
 Must Win Russia Whatever tho German plan alat however high the German hopei might be, 1t was held here tha' the mere fact of the German at. tack made lt plain that Hitler coult no longer hope to win the wal without having complete control o' RussiA's granary and oil fields.
 It was evident that Germany hat opened the war with savage aeria attacks on Russian cities.
 Reports indicated that the attacl yesterday on Odessa was oa tn frightiul scale Of the Belgrade ant Rotterdam raids.
 Russian Ambassador Ivan Mask, talked ct length yesterday to For eign Secretary Anthony Eden art received assurances of British sup port. Later MAisky talked by trans Atlantic telephone to ConstantinI A. 0uInansly, Russian aynbassadcl ct Washington.
 It was understood that Eden tcit Maislky that Britain would not ctilS continue tho war but would in' tonsify 1t, and that he asket lMaislEy to find out from Mescov what assistance Britain could giv' for specific means. Maisky reiayes thls to Moscow, it was undeFssood The government waa believed Go in' tend to send Sir stafford cEippa It's asnbassader, back o Moscow Q onee as token es its fFienashiI | with NvsslR.
 Churchill loft no room acr dcuh