The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-13
Germans Attempting
 To Stop Russians
tcOntInued from Pare D


 man prisoners assert they are mem- hers of regiments and divisions which had been stationed for long periods in France and in other oc- enpied areas.
 They revealed that many Nazi units are now being rushed from west to east and going into battle almost immediately upon arrival in Russia. Some divisions transferred Co Russia were said to have spent as much as two years in France.
 On the southern front the Rus sians were said to have destroyed the 457th German infantry regiment in 6 struggle for town and to have beaten of strong German counter attacks on their lines.
 In the course of the fighting the { Russians reportedly occupied two , Important points, one a railroad center. The Soviet troops were cred- tied with killing 400 Germans and taking II guns.
 On the central front the Germans, with the aid of their reserve forces, were said to be clinging to their fortified lines while substantial counter attacks were being thrown at Russian forces trying to isolate the NaN strong points.
 After one engagement the Rus- NsiarS found 200 Germans who were killed by Soviet artillery fire. Tn another battle the Germans lost 800 men, 10 tanks, 26 cannon and 40 machine guns.
 The Soviet army newspaper Red Star reported that the German com mand of the encircled 18th German army at Staraya Russa has distrib- uted Q circular forbidding military honors and burial for officers and men who commit suicide. The cir cular ordered that men who take their own lives were buried separate ly in . special cemetery.
 New Winter Offensive
 London, March IS - (UP.) Dis patches from Stockholm and other continental news centers indicated today that Russia has opened new phase of its winter offensive, throw ing powerful new forces into the att tack in key areas all the way from Leningrad to the Sea of Azov.
 Reports that the Russians were driving on a 250-mile southern front with total of 90 divisions totaling up to 1,750,000 men remained un- confirmed.
 The origin of the reports that 90 Russian divisions had started an of fensive in the Ukraine was difficult to trace, but apparently arose from the fact that both Moscow and Ber- lin in the last week had reported heavy fighting in that sector.
 Observers here noted that the first reports regarding the 90 divisions came from Vichy and Sweden, both of which are frequently used by the Germans for propaganda purposes. Radio Vichy apparently first broad cast the report, but two London newspapers also printed similar re- ports under Stockholm datelines.
 A few hours later, however, Radio Vichy quoted the Swedish press as saving that big German otfen- sive---lnstead of Soviet offensive waa imminent in the Ukraine and Crimea.
 The Germans themselves, however, reported heavy and continuing Rus sian attacks all the way from Orel, 200 miles south of Moscow and 200 miles north of Kharkov, to Tagan- rcg on the sea of Azov, in addition to attacks in the Crimea.
 Rivaling in importance the re- ported offensive in the Ukraine was new and powerful attack on the front west of Nose w, reported in dispatches this morning.
 Fresh Soviet Divisions
 It was asserted that within the last 9z hours, fresh Russian divisions had been driving down from the Wolokonski Forest, south of the Val- dai hills, in an attempt to roll up the entire German army in the vyazma- Smolenskr sector southwest of Moscow, and had already suc- ceeded in infiltrating to the heav- fly fortified Nikitinka area, ITO miles west of Moscow.
 Dispatches said the Germans were taken entirely by surprise by this new attack and had been thrown out of their advanced lines, leaving hundreds of dead on hte field.
 Now the Germans were said to be making desperate attempts to de- 1end Nikitinka itself
 The town lies AS miles northwest of Vyazna and 60 miles south southwest of Rzhev. It is the ter minus of a branch railroad which connects 1t with the Moscow-Vyaz- -SmolenSk main line.
 A break through in this area pre- galmably would end the German hope of keeping Rzhev, northern most end of the dangerous Vyazlna- Rzhev pocket, and would force the German high command to dig deep- CT into the reserves it had been keeping for its spring offensive.
 Experts here expressed belief that the position of the Germans at Rxhev already approximated that of the 18th army which is being pound- cd t0 pieces at Staraya Russa mid- way between Rzhev and Leningrad.
 May Cut Railway
 The possibility was foreseen that the Russians might encircle both Rzhev and Vyazma and cut the Moscow -Vyazna- -Smolensk railroad
 Though military experts rnain- tained reserve on the reported gigan- tic southern offensive, insofar as figures of troops went, there seemed