Evening star., 1941-06-30
German Bottle Claims

The German high command has at
last given out its long promised de-
tailed Communique on the progress
of the war against Russia. 1t asserts
that in the first seven days of fight
| ing 10000 prisoners were taken, 4,107
planes destroyed, 2233 tanks knocked
out and two entire Russian armies
cut off around BialyStok in the Rus
sian salient between East Prussia and
| German-o Poland.
| Sensational claims such as these
are difficult to accept, even in the
light of the high commands previ-
Gus reputation for accuracy in its
communiques. And they are denied
categorically by the Russians, who
admit the loss of only $50 planes and
900 tanks, while claiming the de-
struction of 1900 Nazi planes and
$500 tanks. Particularly incredible
! in the German communique is the
statement of Soviet plane losses.
| Russia was not credited with more
than 1000 first-line aircraft; so the
German claim would indicate that
| the Russian air arm had been virtu-
ally annihilated Bearing in mind
the dispersion of Russian air fields,
it does not seem possible. However,
| the Russians, as the Germans say,
may have suffered great losses in
planes destroyed on the ground dur
ing the first two days, because Ger
many struck without warning.
A possible explanation may be
found in the fact that airplane data
are first reported by the Luftwaffe,
which is a separate organization, and
then given out by the high command
as part of its consolidated COM
munique. Luftwaffe reports have
averaged less accurate than those of
other services. In part, this is due
to the fact that they are neces-
Sarily estimates made by flying air
men. But there are also indications
| that the LuftWaffe commanded by
Goering, is not averse to a bit of
propagandiSt exaggeration.
In addition to the military COM
munique, the official German news
agency, DNB., announces that Ger
man motorized forces have worked
in behind the Russian stronghold
of Minsk and sit astride the high
road to Moscow. If this be true, the
Russian center is indeed in jeopardy
and colossal German break
through is forecast. But DNB.
is frankly propagandiSt, and its
claims cannot be accepted at their
face value.
The Russian military communique
admits retirements in the Minsk and
adjacent sectors of the front, but
asserts that German drives have
been stopped and that several ad-
vanced motorized columns have been
cut off and, in some instances, de-
stroyed. These claims may be true
without necessarily conflicting with
the German claims. Many motor
columns have doubtless advanced
far beyond their supporting infantry
and may have been temporarily cut
off by Russian counterattackS. That
is part of the German technique of
"infiltration," and if some of those
spearheads are destroyed, it is merely
part of the price which the high
command is willing to pay in major
operations.
There can be scant doubt that
the Germans have gained notable
successes and that the Russian CEN
ter is imperiled. But, unless the
latest D.N.B. report be substantiated,
there is no specific indication that
it has been broken. Thus far, the
German advance has been through
territories occupied by the Russians
since the start of the present war.
Only at Minsk have the Germans
come up against the formidable de-
lenses collectively known as the
Stain Line which Russia had built
up over many years. Here will come
the real test of the German offensive.
Meanwhile, Berlin itself admits that
the Russians are fighting with great
courage. Regardless of the con-
flict between claim and counter
claim, it looks as though the Ger
mans were up against the toughest
job they have yet tackled.