Evening star., 1941-11-19
Kerch: Caucasus Gateway

Kerch: Caucasus Gateway
A special communique of the Ger
man high command announcing the
capture of Kerch opens up far-flung
strategic vistas. Berlin calls Kerch
the springboard for the Caucasus,
That is an apt description Of this
port CITY, perched at the very tip Of
the Crimean peninsula's eastward
tongue, and facing the Caucasian
mainland across twisting strait in
places hardly more than two miles
wide Kerch is the eastern terminus
of the Crimean railway system, now
entirely in German hands with the
exception of the sector about Sevas-
topol, the besieged Russian naval
base on the Crimeas southwestern
tip. The Germans thus should have
no difficulty in bringing up heavy
artillery and other equipment for an
attempt to cross the Kerch straits
and gain a foothold on the Caucasian
shore.
Besides this eventuality, the i'm
mediate strategic consequences Of
Kerch's capture are considerable.
Thereby, the extensive estuary
known as the Sea of Azov has been
isolated from the Black Sea. Hence
forth. Russian naval and merchant
vessels can no longer pass the straits
and bring aid or supplies to hard
pressed Rostov-on-Don Any Rus
sian shipping now in the Sea Of
Azov thus is blocked, and ultimately
will fall into German hands II
the double push against Rostov and
the Caucasus progresses favorably.
However, successful crossing Of
the Kerch straits looks like formi-
dable undertaking. Although the
straits have two narrowS, at Kerch
and at Yenikale, few miles to the
northward, the Caucasian shores in
both cases are narrow sand Spits,
without practicable roads and pre-
sumably heavily defended Those
spits would not, of themselves, con-
stitute highways for the German
invaders. Their capture would
merely clear the way for the real
landing in force, which can be made
only at the port of Tamansk, at the
end of bay inclosed by those spits
That implies water-borne journey
of at least ten miles from Kerch and
Yenikale However, the Russian
Black Sea fleet could not impede
this crossing, once the sand spits
were in German hands. Even the
taking of Tamansk would not end
German difficulties Back Of this
port lies an extensive region Of
marshland and salt lakes, quite SINH
lar to the terrain back of the Isthmus
of Perekop, for which the Germans
had to pay so dearly before they
could break into the Crimea.
If the Germans wait a few weeks,
the going should be easier for them,
because the marshes freeze hard in
midwinter and tanks or other mo-
torized equipment are not compelled
to keep to the roads. But the Ger
mans can ill-afford to wait; so they
probably will launch their attacks
regardless of casualties.
The stakes certainly justify Law
ish local expenditure of lives and
materiel. Once across the marshy
TamanSk peninsula, the open Steppes
of the Kuban stretch interminably
east and north, enabling tanks and
trucks to move rapidly to outflank
Rostov or even strike for AStrakhan
on the distant Caspian Sea. Further
more, by moving Southeastward into
the foothills of the Caucasus along
the Black Sea coast, the Germans
would menace Novorossiisk, the last
naval base for the Russian Black
Sea fleet after bombed and be-
leaguered Sevastopol. Also, in these
hills the invaders would get into the
belt of oil country which extends all
along the northern slopes of the
Caucasus Mountains.
The main range of the Caucasus
rises like giant wall from the
Kubap steppes, actually touching
the Black Sea and thus forming an
effective barrier on that end. But,
at its eastern extremity, there is a
wide plain between the mountains
and the Caspian Sea. This is the
famous Gates Of Derbent, the high
road of conquerors through the ages.
And beyond lie Baku, Persia and
the whole Middle East.
Five hundred snails, painted red,
white and blue, were released in