Evening star., 1942-07-09
Axis Big Push

Axis Big Push
There can be no reasonable doubt
that the g-concealed campaign
plan of the German high command
on the eastern front has at last been
disclosed. The tremendous offensive
launched ten days ago by the Axis on
the Kursk sector has so developed
that it cannot be considered local
or tactical maneuver. It is being
strongly supported by secondary Of
fensives launched from Belgorod and
the newly won territory south of
Kharkov, while at various key points
to the northward there are ominous
Axis STRINGS. The object of all these
subsidiary operations is to immobilize
local Russian forces and prevent
them from reinforcing the troops
menaced by the intensive drive from
Kursk. London military observers
estimate that fully 100000 Axis SOL
diers are engaged in the big push on
the south-central front.
The spearhead OF this enormous
mass Of men and metal has, in the
past ten days, smashed from Kursk
due eastward over 100 miles. Berlin
claims that it has crossed the line of
the upper Don River and has cap
tured the city of Voronezh, ten miles
behind the river line. Moscow does
not concede this, but admits the loss
of Staryi Oskol, farther south. Voro-
nezh, key joint in the Russian de-
tense, is an important link in the
only north-south railway still in
Russian hands. Furthermore, it is
the junction between the South Rus
sian army group under Marshal Tim
oshenko and the central army group
defending Moscow. The cutting of
that trunk railway would separate
the Russian forces into two main
units between which co-ordinated
action would be difficult.
Conversely, once firmly established
at Voronezh, the Axis could launch
northward drive behind Moscow or,
what Is much more likely, swing the
upper hinge of q gigantic pincer
movement to trap Timoshenko's
forces massed in the big bend Of the
lower Don between Voronezh and
Rostov on the Sea of Azov II this be
the German strategy, Axis pressure
probably will intensity all along the
southern front in an effort to I'M
mobilize the Russians and hinder
their orderly retreat from between
the closing jaws Of the trap.
Another thing to remember is that,
at its extreme eastern elbow, the Don
is less than fifty miles from the west
ward bend OF the Volga. Up that
mightiest of Russian rivers come the
steamers and barges bearing the oil
of Baku and Anglo-American supplies
sent in through Persia. The Volga is
navigable to point north of Moscow,
and thus supplements Eastern Rus
sia's scanty railroads. Should both
be severed, the Russian war machine
and mechanical Russian agriculture
would be starved for lack Of oil, most
OF which comes from the Caucasus
and the Caspian basin. Even though
the Germans should not reach those
oil fields, they could deal Russia a
crippling blow If they could prevent
most of the Soviet Union from get
ting the output.
It seems unlikely that the Axis will
try direct invasion OF the Caucasus
across the Straits of Kerch unless
and until the present drive in the
Don region has progressed further.
And that may take some time, for
Timoshenko has proved himself a
master in the tactics OF defense in
depth. He is supposed to have
amassed huge reserves for just such
contingency. And with the stakes
involved, he can be counted on to
resist as furiously and doggedly as
did the heroic defenders Of Sevasto-
pol. 1t remains to be seen whether
the Axis can afford to pay the price
and still retain the striking power
necessary to follow up primary ad-
vantages they may be gaining.