Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03
Axis Tanks Push
Soviets Back in
NaIchik Area
Nuzi Sailors Thrown
Into Bottle; Russians
Gain at StoIingrod
BY HENRY C. CASSIDY,
Associated Press War Correspondent

BY HENRY C. CASSIDY,
Associated Press War Correspondent.
MOSCOW, Nov. 3.-A conglom-
crate force of $4,000 German and
Rumanian mountain infantry,
armored troops and sailors edged
forward today in a narrow sector
southeast of Nalchik, but the enemy
was reported on the defensive in
other parts of that flaming Caucasus
battlefront.
The main Nazi thrust, which has
forced Red Army withdrawal from
Nalchik itself. apparently was aimed
at Ordzhonikidze, some 80 miles
away on the military road leading
to the Georgian Pass through the
Caucasian Mountains.
The Army newspaper Red Star
said the Germans, weakened by
enormous losses at Stalingrad, we're
unable to mount a general offensive
in the Caucasus and were throwing
their full available strength into the
comparatively local advance below
Nalchik.
Nom Stop Tactics Halt.
Instead of carrying on their pre-
viouSly- favored nonstop offensive
tactics, the newspaper said, the Ger
mans now are taking a breathing
spell after each assault in order to
bring up reinforcements.
The Caucasus front amounts to
only one-fifth of the whole Russian
front, Red Star pointed out, adding
that "even there the Germans have
been powerless recently to retain the
Initiative in all sectors. with the
result that. while attacking on some
positions. the Germans have been
forced to take the defensive on
Others"
Caucasus dispatches said the Ger
mans had transferred additional
troops there for the Nalchik push
The attacking force there was said
now to number two tank divisions,
two Rumanian Alpine divisions and
$500 land-fighting Nazi sailors.
Reds Gain at Stalingrad.
The Russians, who announced last
night that they had withdrawn from
Nalchik before Axis blows against
the left flank of their Central Cau-
casus defense line, sought to hold
new positions against superior num-
bers of the enemy.
The gloomy picture of develop
ments ir the southernmost, of the
combat theaters was relieved, how
ever, by announcement Of fresh
Soviet gains in the 10-week-old bat
tie of Stalingrad.
Despite reinforcement of the in
vaders, the enemy was thrown out
of several buildings in factory dis
trict by communicating Russians,
the noon communique said.
Our troops repulsed enemy at
tacks and consolidated positions
which they occupied" it was an
nounced.
Fortifications Destroyed.
Nazi Notifications and blockhouses
were declared destroyed on the
southern outskirts of Stalingrad.
A German battalion was wiped
out, the communique said.
Submachine gunners of Marshal
Simeon Timoshenko's army aligned
against the intrenched German left
flank on the steppes northwest of
Stalingrad were reported to have
shot up an enemy concentration,
annihilating about a company of
troops.
The steady advance was indicated
in the Soviet counteroffensive against
the invaders of the Western eau
casus
Northwest of Tuapse our troops
dislodged the enemy from their po-
sitions and occupied several heights, !"
the communique said. 1.-TWO hun
dred fifty Germans were killed in
this engagement, in which booty and
prisoners were taken"
The Germans moved up again in
the Central Caucasus despite heavy
defensive fire.
va wv w Il Sh DoShs
After Staying $50 Germans in the
repulse of two attacks, the Red
Army troops were forced to fall back
toward the snow-covered mountains
from Nalchik, the Russians said.
Russian dispatches did not ex-
plain why the Germans would
order seamen into fighting below
Nalchik, more than 100 miles
from the Black Sea, but the Nazi
high command obviously wishes
to use all the manpower available
in hopes of a break-through be-
fore the SHOWS deepen)
The battle is now reported raging
across the rich fields, low mountains
and swift rivers of the little Kaba-
dino-Balkaria autonomous republic.
The Nazi objective appeared def
nitely to be conquest of Ordzhoni-
kidze, terminal of the Georgian mil
itary highway which leads to Tiflis.
Fall Of Nalchik Acknowledged.
The midnight communique &C
knowledged the fall of Nalchik
claimed by the Germans Thurs
day., located the fighting southeast
of that upland resort, which is itself
so miles southwest of Mozdok, and
then reported yet another with
drawal of the Russians.
At the same time Pravda, Com
munist party newspaper, estimated
that 80, 900 Germans had been killed,
wounded or captured in September
and October during their vain at
tempt to break through the Mozdok
region, an offensive succeeded by the
thanking drive toward the Grozny oil
fields and the Caucasus military
highways.
Sixteen German planes were de-
clared shot down in combat over
Stalingrad and northwest of that
ruined city. &
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