Evening star., 1942-08-27
Russians Smash at
Germans HoIdino
Rzhev Streets
BY EDDY GILMORE,
Asseriat ted Press War Correrropds an

MOSCOW. Aug. 27.-While
stalingrad battled doggedly for
its life, Russia's central front
armies slashed at the German
held Rzhev-Vyazma railway 12C
miles west of Moscow today and
fought for footholds within the
streets of Rzhev in a newly an
nounced offensive that has
pushed back a Nazi salient Is OF
80 miles.
un Berlin the German high
command conceded today that
the Russians had launched Bit
ter counterattacks west of Stall
ingrad, but said the attacks had
been repulsed with heavy losses.
The Germans also said the Rus
sian attacks southwest of Kaluga
and on the Rzhev front had been
repelled, too.
tReuters, British news agency,
reported the Germans were
throwing fresh reserves into the
savage battle for Rzhev but were
compelled to retreat with heavy
losses SIS the Red Army thrust
westward.
fReuters quoted a DNB Berlin
broadcast today as conceding
that the Russians had made
certain local progress" in the
Rzhev and Kaluga areas, where
the Germans were said toi be
conducting systematic straight
ening of the front line.'D
Although the situation of Stain
grad, industrial city on the lower
Volga, was conceded to be critical
the Russians described it as mo
worse" and counterattacks were
developed.
Concern Felt For Caucasus.
German gains in the central Cau-
casus, however, drew expressions OF
concern. A tank-led task force
fought its way to Mozdok, 80 miles
east of the Prokhladnenski battle
grounds and jumping-on point for
thrusts both toward the oil fields
of Grozny, 55 miles to the east, and
the Georgian military highway ter
minal at Ordzhonikidze, 40 miles te
the south.
The 15-day y-old Russian drive or
the central front was intended both
to eliminate a long standing Ger.
man threat to Moscow in the
Rzhev-G -Gzhatsk- -Vyazma triangle
and provide a diversion against the
German offensive to the south.
The break into heavily fortified
Rzhev, on the upper Volga, 13t
miles northwest of the capital, was
reported made from the north.
Total Of 1900 Killed.
Overnight the Russians reported
recapturing four more communities
on the front west of Moscow and
killing 1000 Germans-bringing to
at least 1900 the number Of Ger
man dead reported in the 15-day
offensive.
Dispatches from Stalingrad said
the situation there was becoming
more grave every hour as the Ger
mans hurled new troops, tanks and
planes into the fight in grim disre-
gard of losses. s...
Russian defense lines northwest
and southwest of the Volga city
were reported holding firm, but dis
patches said plainly that the pres
sure Of the assault was intense
From the Caucasus front, where
German advance forces were 15s
miles from the shores of the Caspian
Sea, there were increasing intima-
tions that the invaders hoped t<
swing southwark in an attempt te
cross the towering Caucasian Range
Near Three Vital Routes.
The Germans have come within
striking distance of three of tn.
four routes to the south of tn,
mountains. There are the Sukhum
road which skirts the Black Sc,
from Tuapse to Batum, the Osseti
military road through 9,270-foo
high Mamison Pass in the heart o.
the mountains to Kutais and tn
Georgian military road through
S-mile-long Darial Pass, walle,
by 5000 foot cliffs, between
|. Ordzhonikidze and Tiflis. Tn,
fourth route is the old caravan
trail through Derbent along th'
Caspian.
Russian dispatches credited tn
German gains in the Caucasus t.
their use of great waves of div
bombers, swarms of tanks, para
chutists and tommy gun equippe'
troops on motor cycles.
The Russians said the Red Arm,
counteroffensive west of Mosco,
now had won back well over 60
populated places, but many wer
found in ruins.
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