Evening star., 1942-09-23
Soviet Embassy Cites
Reds 1o14-18 Role
On Second Front
Implication Is PIuin
Thut Allies Should Act
To Ease Nuzi Pressure
By BLAIR BOLLES.

NSS i<0At ISSSuIS
BY BLAIR BOLLES.
In its first outspoken comment
on the problem Of the second front
the Soviet Embassy said today:
To-day the Red Army is alone
withstanding the concentrated blows
OF the Fascist hordes, against whose
predecessors six Great Powers
tougnt Tor more than four years.
The experience of the first World
War indicates that one of the de-
clslve factors in the defeat of Ger
many was the unity of effort of the
Allied powers"
Tnls statement was contained in
the Information Bulletin of the En-
bassy and was attributed to Red
Army staff officer" The bulletin
Is an Official publication of the
Soviet government.
Sacrifices Stressed.
The Red Army officer stressed the
sacrif1ces made by the Russian Army
IN 1914. when it forced Germany to
night on an eastern front before the
Russian Army was really mobilized
The implication was plain that the
6oviet's allies should act now on the
Western front, whether they were
ready or not.
The avoidance of war on two
fronts has always been an axiom OF
German war strategy" the Informa-
ton Bulletin said.
The Red Army staff officers argu-
ment for the second front said:
AT the beginning of the war OF
1914 the main task of German
diplomacy was to delay the mobiliza-
tion Of Russia. The whole world
knew that the mobilization of the
Czar's army must take time. Not
only the Germans, but the Allies as
we'll considered that it was i'm
possible for Russia to stage a de-
cisive Intervention at the beginning
Of the war.
Relieved Pressure on Paris.
When the Kaiser's army in
fringed Belgian neutrality and the
tate OF France hung by a hair
mobilization had only started in
Russia. The enemy was allowing
the French armies no time to re-
group. The French appealed for
help to their Russian allies. The
Russian Army was not ready. The
Gallup had not been completed
Transport was chaotic.
But Russia held the interests OF
the common alliance to be higher
than those of any single participant
On August IS, only two weeks after
the outbreak of war, two Russian
armies, moving at surprising speed
invaded East Prussia. Confusion
broke out in Germany.
From the western front, at the
very height of the offensive against
Paris, two and half German Army
corps were urgently withdrawn te
face the Russian troops.
The unprepared Russian Armies
suffered defeat, losing 10000 killed
and 10000 wounded. But the Ger
man strategical plan was thwarted
The transfer of divisions to the
eastern front weakened the German
pressure on Paris. The French were
able to regroup their forces. Paris
was saved.
Again Of Great Help to Allies.
In 1914, and again 1916, when
the Germans had concentrated
enormous forces against France and
Britain. 1t was the Russian Army
which prevented the enemy's blows
from being decisive.
TN February, 1915, Germany
launched her great offensive on the
Western Front against Verdun. In
May. 1916, the Austro- Hungarian
troops, reinforced by Germans, in
flicted q crushing defeat on the
Italians, clearing the road to North
Italy, the industrial heart of the
country. Defeated Italy called fol
help.
THE Anglo French Command re-
quested Russia to start an of!en-
sive. The Russian troops launched
blow on the Northern ana South
western fronts. -.
Throughout the whole Of the wal
the Russian front drew of enor.
nous German and Austro- Hun,
gariaA forces"
This recitation OF another war!
history is regarded here as an ex
ample for the present. For Paris
In 1914, Stalingrad can be substi
tuted in 1912 as the city to be saved
Against Anglo concerr
about heavy troop losses and pos
sible failure of an invasion attemp
now, is balanced the Russian con
tention that while Russia's armie
lost heavily and scored few victorie
In the last war, Russia's militar
actions saved her allies armies an,
made victory for those allies possible