Evening star., 1943-11-15
Germans Still Fighting
On Russian Front
BIZ Mai. Georoe Fteldino Eliot

The fall OF Zhitomir. the Russian ad-
vance on Korosten and the renewal Of
Russian pressure toward Rechitsa all
tend to give westerly and Northwestern
ly slant to the Russian exploitation Of
the Kiev break-through. This may we'll
mark Russian attempt to envelop from
the south the German forces still de-
Tending the Gomel area, and thus to
force the evacuation not only of Gomel
but possibly of Mogilev also. This would
in turn seem to threaten both Orsha and
VitebSk. The country west of the
Dnieper River here is marshy, but by
this time 1t should be frozen over so
that movement off the roads is becom-
ing possible. Such a Russian plan
would fit well with the continued, II
slow-moving, Russian offensive south
west of Newell, which is beginning to be
a threat to Vitebsk from the other side
All of this. in turn, fits in with what
is apparently happening southwest of
kiev. The first Russian exploitation of
the break-through of Kiev was a swift
advance to the rail junction of Fastov.
which cut the principal railway line
feeding the German troops in the
Dnieper bend area. If this advance
could be continued for approximately
100 miles in southwesterly direction 1t
would cut the other two lines feeding
that area, and would leave the southern
army group of Field Marshal Won Mann
stein dependent on lines of supply from
RllmaniQ This
certain capture or destruction for the
majority of the troops of Won Mann
stems command.
The Germans appear to have fore
seen and prepared for such peril, since
the Russian communiques now speak of
heavy fighting in the Fastov area, sug-
gesting that the Germans are making
counterattacks to recover the lost rail-
way junction. Where the troops came
from for these counterattacks is, of
course, uncertain, but they may have
come from the regions of Zhitomir and
Korosten.
1t has always been the Russian system
to push resolutely forward until checked
by German counterattacks with plenty
OF reserves in hand to hit the weak
spots from. which the counterattacking
forces were withdrawn. This may be
the reason why the axis of the Russian
thrust seems to have shifted from south
west to northwest
The fall of Zhitomir is not, however
without direct interest to Field Marshal
Won Mannstein. 1t does not cut another
OF his lines of supply and retreat from
and to Poland. But it does cut the one
remaining line of lateral (that is north
SOUTH communications east of the Pol
ish frontier. He will not be able to re-
celve help from the central army group
OF Field Marshal Won Keuchler, save by
considerable detour, or send help north
II that Is called for 1t is another step
toward the isloation Of his southern
army group. The goal toward which
the efforts OF the Russian high COM
mand have been consistently directed
ever since they began their advance on
kharkov and Belgorod.
1t Is now quite likely that the Russians
will seek to consolidate their positions
west of the Dnieper by linking up their
forces southwest of Kiev with those
which are still fighting beyond the
Dnleper IN the Kremenchug -Krivoi Rog
area. AS the Germans complete their.
Withdrawals from their more distant no.
sitions Krivoi Rog itself becomes less
important to them. The Germans are
nghting hard once more; the hint of
rout and even of-panic which was eyi-
dent in the initial -break-through at
kiev seems to have disappeared. It is
hard to say what the German plan may
be; there Is as yet little to indicate that
they intend to make stand on the River
Bug, but that is still possibility.
II so. we may expect to see vigorous
German counterattack in the Zhitomir
area in order to ease the pressure on
berdichev; Zhitomir was supply base
OF some consequence, and its loss may
have been hard blow to the German
power in the whole area round about.
Finally, let us keep in mind that the
Germans cannot continue indefinitely
to find troops for fresh counterattacks.
their shortage of disposable reserves Is
already apparent and that shortage is
increasing. They may Still gain local
successes but these are to be won only
with the blood of men whom Germany
cannot replace
tCopyrght 1943, New York Tribune Inc,