Evening star., 1942-08-03

Russians have carried out all demo-
htions so far, and the particular inn
portance OF these bridges, one may
we'll hesitate to assume negligence
on the part OF the Russian engineers.
Yet the Germans have swept
through Rostov as though the
marshy barrier OF the lower Don did
not exist and are boring deep into
the North Caucasian area. They
could not have done this SO quickly
II the bridges had been blown up
and II the Russian resistance had
been as determined as Rostov as it
has been 120 miles up the river at
Tsimlyansk.
There are, OF course, various pos
sible explanations. The Germans
may have come the northeastern
arm Of the Sea of Azov in small craft
and landed at or near Yeisk, on the
south lip Of the Dons mouth, thus
by-passing Rostov.
But what was the very active and
well commanded Azov fotilla of the
Russian Black Sea Fleet doing while
this was going on2 The Germans
may have dropped heavy concen-
trations OF parachute troops on this
Don bridges-but the Russians must
have been especially on the watch
for just such q move.
May Have Been Planned.
As matter of fact, this matter Of
the Don bridges may have a bearing
on the whole great and growing
question OF the actual state OF the
Russian forces. Most observers have
assumed, up to this time, that the
Russians are amply strong enough
in manpower and equipment to
tight a successful delaying action
through the rest of the summer and
that they have in hand powerful
strategic reserves for major coun-
terattack at given moment.
1t has been assumed that Timo-
shenko is carrying out an orderly
and well planned withdrawal to the
line Of the Don, or perhaps to some
position farther back, his purpose
being to keep the armies intact, to
compel the Germans to use up their
reserve, and then to counterattack
IN force when the time came.
II this is actually the case-and
for my own part I think 1t is-then
barring some astonishing tactical
surprise on the part Of the Germans
or some equally astonishing fatal
lapse on the part Of the Russians.
one must assume that the Russian
retirement from the Don crossings
at Rostov was according to plan.
This theory pre-supposes Russian
preparation for a major counter
stroke, perhaps a double blow. from
the Western Caucasus on one hand,
from Stalingrad on the other.
Voronezh Stand May Be Clew.
But the facts as known (Save one)
are also consistent with the theory
held ir some quarters that the Rus
sian case is really much more nearly
desperate than We know. that
Timoshenko has not the electives
to hold all along his vast line, that
the Rostov crossings were lost sim
ply because there were not men
enough to defend them, and that
very far from executing a planned
withdrawal-p plus delay plus counter
attack strategy Timoshenko is ac-
tually doing nothing more than
making the best defense he can with
dwindling forces and playing for
time.
The one factor which Is COM
pletely inconsistent with this gloomy
view Is the tenacious Russian resist
ance in the Voronezh area. It is
difiicMt to conceive of the Russians
using large forces in that area II
they are really short of men to de-
fend Stalingrad and the Caucasus.
1t is difficult to understand their
purpose In making such a stand for
the crossings Of the upper Don unless
they planned to use those crossings
for grand counterattack and were
determined not to let the Germans
be In position to take such a move
ment in flank.
(Copyright. 1912, By New York Tribune.
Inc.)