The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-14
Russian Red Armies { Break Nazi Defenses
CCOntInued from Page n

1 the last few days, dispatches said.
 Sturborn fighting continue q throughout the night in the pen- insula, Moscows noon communiuue said, as the Germans sought desper- ately to break their lines.
 Russia announced the attack on fiame-seared, bomb-shattered Khar- kov, Russla's fourth city and indus trial capital of the Ukraine, in Q communique which admitted that in the Kerch Peninsula, at the eastern end of the Crimea, the forces of Lieut.. Gen. D. T. Koslov had rec tired to new positions before super Tor German numbers.
 It was emphasized that the Rlis- sians had retreated in good order and had inflicted enormous losses on the robot-like German shock troops who advanced woodenly in the face of point blank fire from Russian machine guns and the faun- our Russian artillery.
 The communique denied German statements that the ueninsula battle had ended, that 1t had resulted in a German victory and that the Ger mans had captured great numbers of prisoners, tanks and guns.
 Asserting that these claims were completely false, the communique said the Russian withdraway was effected for strategic reasons and in god order.
 Seven Days of Battle
 There was every indication that the battle, now in Its seventh day, was just in its opening phase mad that the Russians had fallen back on one of a series of increasingly formidable defense positions at they backed toward Kerch and the four mile strait which separates the Crimea from the Russians Caucasus and its rich oil fields.
 The battle was one of almost un- equalled ferocity, even in this mer- ciless war. Scores of thousands of men, thousands of planes, thous- andS of tanks including new Rus sian giants and -turreted American tanks, were fighting on a front of only a few miles.
 Dispatches from the front indi- cated that Timoshenko's army had hit the strong German lines be- fore Kharkov with the force of a giant trip hammer and the mid- night Russian command communi- que asserted 1t had advanced suc- cessfully.
 No details were given. But it was known that the Russians had massed great forces of fresh troops or an offensive, under Timoshenko, the brilliant general who saved the southern front last Novembre by driving the Nazis south of RoGtov- on-the.Don.
 All during the rigorous Russian winter, Timoshenko's men had pressed inexorably nearer and near CT to Kharkov, in & two-pronged advance threatening to encircle the Germans in that spearhead posi- tion.
 Though no details had been given in weeks, 1t was believed the Rus- sians were within striking distance of Kl1arkov from the north. along the railroad leading to Moscow. Their southern prong was last re- ported at Bravenkova, 70 miles to the southwest.
 The territory between the prongs had been gradually mopped up by the two armies working together to enclose the great city.
 Russia made no mention of its Black sea fleet, which is giving powerful support to the army and air force, its long range rifles raking the German lines from the sea.
 Dispatches reported that yester- day the fleet destroyed more than 20 German planes and repulsed an attempted raid by the German air force on a coastal peninsular city.
 Both the Kharkov and Merch of- fensiyes seemed still in their open. ing stages, grand scale preludes to what was expected to be the great est battle in the history of the world when the main Russian and German forces. assembled with new tanks, guns and planes during the winter months, along a i,8OO mile front clash in full fury