The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-09-04

oRenSiVe appeared 70 DC M pro" Rress by the Red army. Soviet Ac. ton was concentrated on sharp 10. cal counter-attAckE, designed to cut of NaA SpearheadS or open the way to later more general attacks,
 For some days these attacks have concentrated on the central front. It appeared that they were directed ct two sharp salientS driven by the Nazi forces into Russian lines, one northeast of Smolensk ct Vyazrna, the other northeast of Qomel In the Bryansk region.
 A NaA armored spearhead Ad- vanced to Vyaxma, about i60 miles from Moscow In early July, accord- ing to Berlin. It was said to have reached that point nearly three weeks before the capture of Smol- ensak was claimed. The Russians never have admitted existence Of this spearhead.
 However, 1t appeared that some of the counter attacks in the smol- ensk are have been directed at pinching of this trust.
 Dangerous to sOviets
 The more southerly, salient, to- ward BryansiI, is even more danger. ous to the Soviet, particularly to the armies defending Kiev and the southern Ukraine. Bryansk Is about l60 miles northeast of domel. It iI on important road and railroad center from which Nazl forces coult pivet southward and strike agains the Ukraine armies from the rear well east of the Dnieper.
 The Germans do not claim tt have reached Bryansk but assert they are fighting in that vicinity and have, destroyed some Russian tanks in the general neighborhood The Russians have countered witt vague claims that their counter attacks have pressed back into thu outskirts of Gomel.
 Actually, however, 1t seemed that the Russian attacks have been 10. cated chiefly around Roslavl, about half way between the German Smolensk- -Vyazma and the Qomel. Bryansk lines. Some Soviet forcel apparently stin were fighting well tC the German rear, around RogacheV on the Dnieper and the Russian high command probably has hoped to drive sufficient wedge between the two German salients to permit flank attacks north and south which would unhinge the Naz communi. cations lines.
 Heavy Fighting In Ukraine
 Tn the Ukraine proper heavy fighting was underway. The Rus- sians do not admit that the Ger. mans have crossed the Dnieper ir the Ukraine nor has the Nazi high command made such c claim. Nazi sources, however, have said that bridgeheads have been driven across the broad stream. probably in the vfiicinity of Dniepropetrovsk.
 Berlin reported that Russian at. tempts to win footholds on tho western bank of the Dnieper still were in progress but have been repulsed with heavy losses. The Russians also were said to have at' tempted to land shock troops on the Rumanian Black Sea coast from transports. Both attempts were re' pulsed, Berlin claimed.
 On the Leningrad front Berlin re. ported that encirclement of the city virtually was complete but admitted that three lines of heavy defensei must still be penetrated. Bad wea. ther continued to hamper opera. tions against Leningrad.
 The Russians claimed that a sally by Soviet forces in the Kiev area had captured a village and inflicted i5,OOO casualties on the Germans.
 Moscow reports were filled witt discussion of Nazi difficulties. Al legged reports by Naz officers werC quoted as disclosing terrific casual ties, exhaustion of troops, and in. adequacy of reserves and replace ments.
 A six-man supreme defense coun. ell was created to handle the de fense of Leningrad and local Sovie' counter-attacks were asid to havs driven back the Germans tnrea miles at some points around thu city.
 The London Daily Herald re. ported that millions of men are be. ing called up for military service fl Britain in line wth strategc decsonl taken in view of Russan develop ments. Authorities Eninimized the re. ports but 1t seemed evident that thu British army is preparing for thu possibility. of continental operation { an opportunity presents itself.
 Tronble Im Middle East
 More evidence arrived of brewing trouble in the Middle East. Ankarl held from diplomatic sources tha Bulgaria had declined Naxi invl tation to join the war on Russia bu that Sofia was willing t0 come il on operations on other fronts.
 French railroads were iimpinl under new sabotage operations des plte the severe penalties invoked D German occupation and French cavl authorities. The main Parls-Drit Eany route was blocked for % hour by damage to turntables.
 In the Far East reports ciEeulate'