Evening star., 1943-08-15
Red Offensive Broudens

ked OffenSiVe broQdenS
The successful launching of a third
major Russian offensive in the
SmolenSk region. due west of Mos
COW, adds impressive testimony to
the might and striking power of the
Red war machine. The entire central
segment of the eastern front, for
nearly 500 miles. is now the scene Of
intensive fighting, with several mil
lion men and incalculable amounts
of equipment involved on both sides.
Moscow and Berlin official commu-
nlques agree that the fighting is of
the tlercest description. Everywhere
the Germans resist stubbornly, and
nowhere do they seem to have been
thrown into confusion. Yet, in all
sectors, the Red advance continues,
though at tempos differing with the
terrain and superimposed man made
obstacles. The general lay of the
land likewise differentiates the stra-
tegic significance of Russian gains.
Surveying the main theaters of ac-
ton from north to south, the new
Red offensive In the Smolensk region
claims first attention. 1t should be
noted that the Russian attack has
been launched, not at Smolensk itself
along the obvious rail and highway
trunk line from Moscow. but on
thirty-mile frontage to the south
eastward, about midway between
Smolensk and the big German
stronghold of Bryansk, which is like
wise under heavy Russian pressure.
The primary tactical objective of the
new Russian drive presumably is the
railway which links Smolensk with
Bryansk. Once astride that line the
Reds could either start a pincers
movement on Smolensk or drive at
Bryansk from the rearWard flank.
Both Smolensk and Bryansk are ex-
tensively fortified areas. Bryansk Is
an especially hard nut to crack be-
cause it is surrounded by sWamps
and forests. This is already making
very tough going for the Red forces
advancing westward from newly cap
tured Orel The absence of German
counterattacks on either the Smo-
lensk or Bryansk battle fronts sug-
geSts that the Germans are fighting
delaying retlremcntS aimed at in
1icting maximum losses upon their
assailants. They can still yield con-
siderable ground before vital points
in their defense system in those
regions are endangered.
Very different is the situation in
the third conflict area, around Khar-
kOv, where the Russians have already
penetrated its suburbs and seem
bound to capture it at any moment.
Kharkov itself is topogra phically in
defensible and is no longer indus
trially important, since this former
Pittsburgh of the Ukraine, after hav-
ing changed hands thrice, is mass
of ruins. However, it remains road
and rail center, which greatly bone-
fits its poSScsSOr. Once in Russian
hands, supplies can be expedited to
the armies tanning out west OF Khar-
kov toward the great River Dnieper,
only 100 miles to the westward, The
Dnieper is bridged at only few
points, which are literally llfellneS
for the great German forces spread
across Southern Russia to the Sea OF
Azov, the Crimea and the Caucasian
bridgehead beyond 1t is probably
significant that the Russians have
stopped attacks on those southern
fronts. They know that a Red break
through to the Middle Dnieper would
compel a hasty German retirement
from most of that gigantic south
eastern salient. And since this whole
region is open country. baked hard
by the hot summer sun. it will remain
ideal terrain for swift mechanical
warfare until the autumn rains set
in and turn it into sticky mud. Those
rains may not be very far away, Last
year they set in on September 2,
which is trifie early yet not much
ahead of the average date The Red
offensive in the Ukraine is thus, to
some extent, racing against time
But much can be accomplished In
three weeks, unless the present rate
of progress Is slowed down by major