Evening star., 1943-11-01
Fate of Crimeu
To Be Decided Soon
RI Mini GpOr0o EipJ1jDn EEo

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of Russian power across the f1atlands of
the Nogaisk Steppe. At last reports, the
Russians were only few miles from the
Perekop Isthmus, the landbridge which
connects the Crimean Peninsula with
the mainland Across this bridge pass
the railway to Kherson and the road
which roughly parallels it. These are
the only means by which such German
troops as still remain in the Crimea
may be withdrawn, so far as land COM
munlCationS are concerned
How many German troops may re-
main there is uncertain. There is no
certain foundation for the frequently
repeated statement that Hundreds of
thousands of German troops are
trapped in the Crimea The Germans
have had enough time to get out of the
Crimea all of the troops of the original
garrison they wanted to take out, in
Guiding the forces which were recently
driven out of the Kuban bridgehead
There may be nothing left in the Crimea
III the way of German soldiers except
the usual laSt-dltCh suicide units
enough perhaps, to make an attempt at
landing from the sea cost the Rus
slams heavily or to beat off a parachute
invasion. There is, of course, always
the possibility that the Germans may
have started their evacuation too late,
in which case there may be a good many
troops still there; and there is also the
possibility that the Germans intend to
make tough and prolonged fight for
the Crlmea. We just don't know, as yet.
and it is not wise to make assumptions
about enemy intentions until We have
better evidence of what these intentions
are than We have now Finally. a good
many Germans retiring from MelltOpol
may be caught in the north of the
Crimea.
One indication Of how things are go
ing may be the immediate result Of
Gen. TOlbukhin'S dash across the No
gaisk Steppe If his troops keep right
on going until they have cut the Pere-
kOpkherson Railway road that will
suggest that there is nothing left in the
Crlmea which the Germans think worth
saving or at any rate, which they think
they cannot supply or withdraw by sea
or air transport. In other words. no
very large forces. If the advancing
Russians run INTO another German
bolt position and are stopped short
Of the Perekop-K -Kherson Railway. that
will suggest that the German eyacua-
ton Is still going on. or perhaps that
the Germans intend to make a long.
hard fight for the Crimca and its one
remaining route of land c0mmunlca-
uons. We should begin 10 get some
hint on this point within the mex, day
or Two
On the whole. the German position in
the Cumea would seem 10 be a prccalI-
GUS one. even if they are stIl there in
some strength 1t would not be hard to
guess that they cannot hold the Crmea
through the winter They may not be
able TO make a good last stand there.
They have not enough air power to off,
set the Russian command of the sea.
and they are not rich enough IN ground
forces to be able to throw away the 8 or
10 divisions which would be the mini
mum force necessary for a stout and
prolonged defense. Hence if the Ger
mans now make a strong stand in the
CElmea. II Will almost certainly be be-
cause the Russians have been TOO quick
for them, and they are therefore tlght-
ing because they could not get away in
time and there is nothing else 10 DO
Ihat Is guess work, Of course but II is
guess work which contains more ele-
ments OF established fact than most
gueSseS one is able to make abou, what
goes on behind the fog of war
An interesting point which may be
noted is that Gen. T0lbukhn in his
race across the NOgaiSk Steppe. appears
to be using considerable forces of cav
airy. Cavalry has been a neglected
arm IN this war; many people think
OF II as being almost as archaic as the
bow and arrow. But it has its uses
We shall perhaps never see again a
spectacle as the charge of the French
CulrasSlerS, swords in hand. on the
British squares AT Waterloo The cav
airy commander of today regards the
morse not as battle charger. but as a
prime mover which carries a rifeman
or machine gunner to a place where
ne can Use his weapons The reason
for the decline of the cavalry is that
motor transportation of various kinds
can usually do that carrying job quicker
better and with less total expenditure
OF effort. However, in a country like
the NogaiSk Steppe, where there are no
roads worth mentioning. no local sup
plies for motors, but plenty Of forage
Tor animals, and where greater speed
OF movement than that of marching in
1antry Is essential the horse still has A
useful Junction. The excellence of the
Russian staff work is atteSted by the
tact that those conditions were evi-
oently foreseen, and that the cavalry
was close at hand and ready when the