Evening star., 1943-05-22
Eastern Front Prospects

Eastern Front Prospects
The eastern front has made rela-
lively few headlines during recent
weeks. This was natural, because
the great spring thaw, sweeping
northward across Russia with the
returning sun, has progressively
transformed the icebound soil into
slush and mud wherein major mill
tary operations are impossible for
either side. That enforced interim
period usually lasts from six weeks
to two months, depending on the
intensity of the spring rains. But
by now, the thaw line, which began
It's northward march in the Crimea
and adjacent Caucasian Black Sea
coaSt in late February, has completed
its 2,000-mil journey to the Arctic
coasts, and In Southern Russia the
ground Is fairly firm So, as might
be expected, the fighting line is fol-
lowing the thaw line with an appro-
pirate time lag.
For nearly a month a fierce strug-
gle has been raging at the Caucasian
bridgehead which the Germans still
hold, both as a defensive bastion to
the Crimea and as potential
springboard for fresh offensive to-
ward the Baku oil fields and the
Caspian Sea. Despite repeated Rus
sian attacks, the Germans cling
stubbornly to this highly strategic
vantage point. Similarly indecisive
fighting is developing in the Ukraine
sectors, while activity is increasing
in the still mud-bound segments
clear to I.eningrad and the Baltic.
Both the German and Russian war
machines are obviously tuning up
for 4 renewed trial of strength.
The magnitude and Importance Of
the eastern front was brought home
to US by Winston Churchill in his
recent address before Congress when
he reminded his hearers that mot
for one moment must we forget that
the main burden of the war on land
is still being borne by the Russian
armies They are holding at the
present time no fewer than 100 Ger
man divisions and % satellite divi-
sions on their front" He compared
this with the IS Axis divisions de-
stroyed in North Africa after long
and costly campaign by the Anglo
American armies and their French
allies, and stated there is little
doubt that Hitler is reserving his
supreme gamblers throw for a third
attempt to break the heart and
spirit and destroy the armed forces
of the mighty nation which he has
already twice assaulted in vain"
Mr.. Churchills expectations of a
great Axis offensive In Russia this
summer are shared by most military
observers, though it is also quite
possible that the Red Army may try
to beat Hitler to the punch and dis
rupt his plans by late spring ofren-
sive of its own, as happened last
year. Thus far. the German and
Russian high commands have alike
screened their intentions. But they
must show their respective hands
before long, since the short summer
campaigning season will be on by
mid-June everywhere except along
the Baltic and sub-Arctic fronts.
Heavy German concentrations on the
central sectors incline some observ-
ers to believe that Moscow may be
the main Axis target this year, with
a secondary drive to cut the narrow
corridor connecting Leningrad with
the rest of Russia and thus again
isolate the Baltic metropolis. This
would be logical procedure il the
German high command is bent on
crushing RuSsia's military power
rather than gaining the Caucasus
and cutting the Volga artery as was
tried last summer Berlin undoubt-
edly realizes that this is it's last
chance to smash Russia's offensive
strength before Allied pressure in
western Europe and the Mediter-
ranean forces the Axis to a gen.
orally defensive role
This raises the larger question as
to whether the Allies are ready to
launch attacks on their side OF Hit
ler's European fortress powerful
enough to divert Germany's strate-
gic reserves and thus compel Berlin
to abandon whatever offensive plans
on the eastern front it may have in
mind. But this is likewise yelled
In strategic reticence which the
course of events alone can dispel.