Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-24
Russians Capture
German General

er, whose capture the noon COM
munique announced, was taken
when the Russians cracked his unit,
sent part of it fleeing and took priS-
oner those who were slow on the
getaway around divisional head
quarters.
In a single middle Don sector,
the Germans essayed a counterat-
J tack during the night.
600 PERISH
The Russians broke the attack,
pursued the retreating Germans
and pressed ON to take a fortified
inhabited locality, the noon COM
munique said.
The Germans left 600 men dead
and much war SpoilS on the battle
field, and some shivering infantry
men remained to be taken prisoner.
The Germans left 300 dead in the
streets OF Stalingrad, the noon COM
munique said, in savage attempt
TO regain lost positions in the fac
/ tory area. The Russians captured
20 machine guns and other material
+ In other city sectors, patrols re-
connOitered the German strong
points in preparation for further
Russian attacks while the Red army
consolidated newly won positions.
Northwest OF Stalingrad, Russian
! ARTILLERY smashed five German dug
outs Tor the infantry, Silenced four
artiller% batteries and dispersed a
concentration of 300 enemy infan-
/ fTnnrn ort;1l
changes and scouting operations in
other parts of the front and Rus
sian planes shot down eight enemy
planes over the fighting lines.
GERMANS FAIL
Southwest of Stalingrad the Ger
mans continued their desperate
counterattacks, trying to relieve
their entrapped division. Tanks and
motorized infantry were thrown in
TO attacks which in one sector alone
cost the Germans 1000 men. The
enemy broke, and the Russians. in
close pursuit, seized and held q for
tilted inhabited locality They de-
stroyed 16 German tanks, II field
guns, Is machine guns, SO motor
trucks and four grounded planes.
One Russian battery of four guns
destroyed eight of the tanks.
On the central front west of Mos
COW, the Russians continued attacks
ON surrounded German strong point
barrLSonS. In one sector they cap
tured IA fortified gun emplacementG
and pill boxes, killing more than
800 Germans ands capturing four
held guns and other Spoils. In an
other sector Russian artillery broke
up an attack by 1000 tank support
ed Germans. The Germans left
three tanks and $50 dead on the
field.
BERLIN PESSIMISTIC
tLondon reported that in the great
middle Don offensive the Russians
had now regained about 1000 square
miles of territory.
London interpreted current axis
speeches., statement and commune
ques as becoming more and more
blunt, preparing the enemy publics
Tor bad news.
"a Madrid dispatch credited to
Vlchy military experts said the
German command had been surpris-
ed by Russia's offensive power and
was prepared now to shorten its
lines on the southern front. Open
German discussion Of a Russian
plan to cut off the German Cauc-
aSuS army and recover the DOnets
river basin and the best part of the
Ukraine was aimed at preparing the
German people Tor a withdrawal to
the familiar better winter lines.D
Communicates and special dis
patches indicated that unless the
Germans stopped soon the Red
army offensives covering the area
from Stalingrad 2l5 miles wegt O.
the border of the Ukraine, they fac
ed disaster Oh the whole southern
front.