Evening star., 1942-02-24
Red Army Anniversary

Red Army Anniversary
Soviet Russia yesterday celebrated
the twenty-fourth birthday of the
Red Army, summoned by Nikolai
Lenin and directed by Leon Trotzky
to defend the newly created Commu-
mist state against foreign and do
mestic foes. In the ensuing years,
that improvised levy of workers and
peasants has evolved into the tre-
mendous fighting machine which
breasted the shock of the German
Wehrmacht at the peak of its pride
full power, fought it to a standstill
before Moscow, and for the past
three months has been delivering a
gigantic counteroffensive along the
2,000-mile front from Leningrad to
the Black Sea.
All Russia had been awaiting a
message from Joseph Stain, head of
the Soviet Union, on this momentous
anniversary. 1t had likewise ex-
pected special communique from
the Russian high command an
nouncing some marked successes
from the fighting fronts. Stain de-
livered an "order Of the day" to the
Red Army, couched in stirring
phrases, recounting the past eight
months of warfare against the Ger
mans, and promising that the in
vader eventually would be entirely
expelled from the Soviet Union and
that "the Red banner will fly every
where it has flown before"
However, Stain tempered his op-
timism by frank warning that a
stern struggle still lay ahead and
that "it would be unlike the Soviet
people to delude themselves into the
belief that the enemy already has
been beaten" Subsequently, the
army communique claimed little be-
yond continual progress, with few
specific details on current operations,
though with impressive aggregate
totals of German losses during the
entire war period and for the recent
winter months.
All this tends to confirm the judg-
ment of foreign military analysts
that, during recent weeks, the Red
offensive has slowed down to rela-
lively indecisive proportions. Al
though in places the Russians have
advanced 200 miles, that is only half
the average depth which the Ger
mans penetrated on Russian soil.
Furthermore, those gains were not
made in the most important sectors.
Leningrad is still under siege. Along
the central front, the Germans still
cling to key points like Novgorod,
Rzhev, Smolensk, Bryansk, and
Kharkov, which they may use as
springboards for a spring offensive.
In the Crimea, likewise, the Russian
counterattack which at first PROM
ised to be entirely successful, has
become, for the time being, at least,
a stalemate, with the Nazis still con-
trolling the heart of the peninsula.
Unless the Russians can take ad-
vantage Of the remaining weeks of
winter. the spring thaws will i'm
mobilize both armies. Thereafter,
German superiority in tanks and
planes may tend to restore the con-
ditions of warfare which prevailed
last summer.
Undoubtedly, the Red Army has
inflicted terrific punishment upon
the Wehrmacht. The Germans were
not adequately equipped or clothed
for the Russian winter, and their
synthetic oils and lubricants did
badly in the bitter cold. Fight
ing reverted largely to the pre-
mechanical era, wherein infantry,
cavalry and artillery again came into
their own. The Germans, thrown
into the defensive, were forced to
fight an interminable series of rear
guard actions, with high losses in
man power from frostbite as well as
from bullets, bayonets and shells.
Yet nowhere did the German retreat
turn into a rout. German morale
sagged, but 1t did not crack or break.
Reserves. thrown sparingly into key
sectors, held most Of the vital points.
This seems to be the general picture
of the Eastern front as winter draws
toward its close. The Russians have
put up a splendid fight and can le-
ultimately take pride in their
achievements. But the supreme test
is yet to come.
"A Carthaginian peace" is one so
severe that 1t means the virtual de-