Evening star., 1943-12-23
Reds Hold Firm
Against German
Tank Offensive
Enemy Attack Comes
As Soviets Increase
Pressure on Vitebsk
MAP on Page A-I6.j
BY EDDY GILMORE.


MOSCOW, Dec. 23.-Massed
Russian heavy artillery and big
mobile field guns blazed away
today against a gigantic new
German tank offensive, de-
scrlbed as one OF the wars heav-
lest armored assaults.
The large-scale enemy attack was
sprung yesterday on 400-mile front
stretching from White Russia to the
Dnieper bend, but reports from the
front said Red Army forces were
holding firm in all sectors and that
concentrated artillery fire had de-
stroyed at least 148 of the attacking
tanks during the day.
The new enemy counterattack
came as an llth hour effort as
Russian pressure increased on the
Nazi Vitebsk-Polotsk defense wall
farther north where Gen. Ivan
Baaramian's lst Baltic Army was
said to be driving steadily ahead.
Positions Improved
The Germans masSed their heaviest
assaults IN the Korosten sector Of
the kiev bulge. where for weeks
Marshal Fritz Won Mannstein has
been trying to break Russian de-
fenses before the Ukrainian capital.
Despite the fury of the Nazi on
Slaught, troops of Gen. Nikolai
Vatutins 1st Ukraine Army held firm
and actually improved their posi-
tions, dispatches said.
In the Zhlobin sector of White
Russia, lis miles south of VitebSk
and SO miles northwest of Gomel
where Gen. Constantine RokoSSoV-
sky'S army threatens to close an i'm
portant German escape exit a tank
drive of equal feroclty was launched
by the enemy Here too, the Soviet
lines refused TO yield.
Ninety-fye German tanks were
destroyed and nearly 5000 Germans
killed in the fierce tank artillery
duels which ragged throughout yes
terday in these two sectors, dis
patches reported.
Close In on GOrOdOk.
In the drive toward the Latvian
border Gen. Bagramian's veterans
closed in on Gorodok lake town on
the Nevel-Vitebsk railway and an
important strong point in Vitebsk S
northern defenSeS. The Russians
forced their way across a strongly
defended water barrier here, killing
several thousand Germans and over
running 20 more villages despite re-
inforced enemy resistance.
The Germans launched Is coun-
terattaCkS in one sector alone in
vain attempts to stop the Russians.
who succeeded in bringing their big
guns within range OF Vltebsk, less
than Is miles away. In one en-
gagement the Germans lost 1000
troops, the Russian Communioue
said adding that another 900 were
slain as Red Army columns famed
westward to within 20 miles of
Polotsk, another key point in the
German Baltic defenses system.
Soviet ski troops played an i'm
portant part in the Red Army's drive
on VitebSk, the war bulletin said
swinging in behind enemy lines and
chopping defending units to pieces.
"A Moscow radio commentator
heard in London said the main
defense line before Vitebsk-
probably the most strongly forth
fled German base on the entire
front-had been cracked by Gen.
Bagramian's army and that
tanks and guns were pouring
through the breach like an
avalanche.'D
Attacks Beaten OFF.
German tank attacks of lesser in
tenslty south of Kirovograd in the
Dnleper bend area were beaten Off
by the guns of Gen. Ivan Konev's
I'd Ukraine Army. which already has
partly encircled that industrial city
the communlque reported. The
Germans succeeded in driving a
wedge in the Soviet positions. Then
the Russians struck.
Our troops first cut them off and
then by decisive blow completely
llquidated the group which had
broken through" the communique
said. Two companies of German
automatic riflemen were wiped out
seven tanks and two armored cars
destroyed
Repeated attacks by tank forma-
tions met the same fate, the bull
letin added, and the Germans finally
retired after losing l8 tanks.