The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-27
RY HENRY SHAPIRO

NUnited Press Staff Correspondent
 Moscow, Aug. 2-(UP)-Russian shock troops have stormed into E2zhev in the Red army's big cen- 4ral front offensive that already has killed 45,00O Germans, and dls- patches from the front said today Ehat they were driving the Nazis hack in house-to-h fighting raging in the northern part Of the etty.
 It was believed here that Russian resistance was stiffening on the period Stalingrad front, but not be- cause of the growing offensive at Eszhev, 115 miles northwest or Mos- cow, and around Vyazma ana Gszhatsk, in the same area.
 Resistance on the Stalingrad front was stiffer, it was said, because as khe battle developed over 8 pro- gressively smaller area, Soviet ar- Rillery fire and the power of big kanks could be concentrated, and hence, was more effective. The situ- ation was compared to that at Moscow late last November, where the German advance slowed TOT Che game reason the closer 1t got, and was finally stopped.
 Battle for Stalingrad
 Dispatches said the battle for Gtalingrad had reached new in- density. The Germans were appar- tently within 30 or 35 miles of the Eity on the Volga river line, and khree drives converged on it from Ehe northwest, west and southwest.
 Ignoring huge losses, the Germans &hrew in more and more reserves of banks, planes and motorized infan- #ry. Tank battles of unbelievable Keroclty" were reported northwest Df Stalingrad, with the screech of !Eank treads, the yelling of the wounded and dying, and the roar pf artillery rending the air day and might.
 t "On one Vector (northwest of Stalingrad) the Germans concen- krated a large number of tanks un- der the cover of aircraft and at- lacked Soviet positions, the Russian noon communique said. Soviet ar- &illery engaged the enemy and put NB tanks out of action. Only 8 few succeeded in penetrating our depth defenses and all were destroyed by hand grenades and fuel bottles. Northeast of Kotelnikovski (which as 90 miles southwest of StalingraO enemy tanks and infantry tried to penetrate Soviet positions but were kep sred by artillery fire. One of our cavalry units penetrated the rear of the enemy and inflicted heavy 2osses."
 Russian Offensive
 The Russian offensive before lMoscow was intended to wipe out the Rzhev-Vyasma-G -Gzhatsk sali- ent that extends toward Moscow and force the Germans to withdraw forces from their victorious cam paign in the south.
 Rzhev is the key to the salient, and once 1t is taken, VyaZma and Gzhatsk are expected to be con- eiderably easier. The offensive, which Gen. Gregori Zhukov, one of Russia's greatest tacticians, opened on Aug. II, has driven the Germans back 24 to 30 miles along 70-mile front.
 The Russians drove again Rzhev from the north, then the northwest. The Germans stubbornly resisted, but the story was different than in the south. Forty-five thousand were killed in the first two weeks-the total of casualties obviously was two or three times as many-and the Russians added to the German losses every hour.
 The Germans, determined to hold Rzhev whatever the cost, installed artillery and -throwers on the first floors of half-ruined houses, ard stationed tommy-gunners on the upper floors. The Russians me- &hodically destroyed each enemy nest and proceeded to the next, un- der pail of blinding smoke from burning buildings.
 The Soviet Army organ Red Star