Evening star., 1943-10-31
Russia
Continued From First Page

beyond Blagovyeschenskoe, only five
miles from the river.
Such crossings would strike the
rear Of reinforced Germans defend
Ing Krivoi Rog and the last rem
nants of German-held territory in
the Dnieper bend.
With the capture of Genichesk
the second great battle for the
Crimea had begun. The Germans
on the great peninsula, which juts
southward strategically to dominate
the Black Sea, must escape over the
railway through Perekop to Nikoleav
If they are to get out before the
Russians smash the Perekop bottle
neck.
Ready to Bridge Gap.
Investing the Crimea also was the
Russian Army of the Caucasus,
which only a few weeks ago drove
the last Germans westward across
the kerch Strait into the Eastern
Crimea and now stands ready to
bridge that narrow water gap,
The Crimea about the size of Ver-
mont, is a land of plains in the
north, rises to range of mountains
and falls to narrow fertile strip of
land that is known as the Riviera of
Russia, with bright sun, warm sea
and mud baths. 1t was used by the
Russians for rest homes, many now
believed occupied by Germs n
wounded. Also, it is the site of Sc
vastopol. naval base for the Russian
Black Sea Fleet which the Russians
defended for 245 days in backto
the wall resistance which helped
keep the Germans out of the Cau-
casian oil fields. Sevastopol finally
fell to the Germans in June, 1912.
German commentators denied the
Russians had completely disrupted
the Axis front, but admitted the
Soviet offensive remains the threat
1t was yesterday and VIII be to-
morrow"
So swiftly were the Russians over
running the desert steppeland east
OF the Lower Dnieper that even a
German broadcast was forced to
admit "the outcome of the battle is
problematical.'
No Sign of Serious Stand.
Paul Winterton, BBC correspond
ent in Moscow, broadcast that there
is no sign of any serious enemy
stand along the whole of the South
ern Russian 'front.'" and spoke Of
Russian penetrations into the Ger
man rear causing "the utmost con-
fusion and decentralization. Many
enemy troops have thrown away
their rifles and given themselves
up
Fresh forces were hurled into the
fighting in the Dnieper River bend
which the Germans referred to in
a broadcast as the "Dnieper Knee"
A German broadcast mentioned
four Soviet divisions fighting north
west of Krivoi Rog, but said their
attacks were beaten back with the
loss of 43 Russian tanks. The Ger
mans spoke of smart counterat-
tacks" by their troops in the par
ticularly hard fighting" there.
There were rumors in London
that the Germans already had aban-
doned Krivoi Rog, but the German
radio said mo operational decision
has yet been reached in the great
battle on the southern sector Of the
eastern front"
Music in Theater.
One unusual Berlin radio dis
patch-apparently designed to illus
trate Nazi sang-froid-said: Works
by Tschaikowsky were played in the
town theater of Kriv Rog by the
band of tank regiment. They were
followed by dance music played by a
soldier jazz band"
The Germans still were pouring
new troops into the area, for krivoi
Rog is the last natural defense line
protecting the low valley which ex-
tends southwest to Nikolaev.
The roo c1ry also defends the
Nikolaev-Kiev Railway. Advance
Russian units are close to the rail-
way in this sector, but have not
yet severed it. Southwest of Krivoi
Rog the Germans have numerous
good military roads and these, too,
need protection. 1t is up these roads
the Germans have brought their re-
Inducements.
The Russian Army newspaper
Red Star said many air battles COL
ored the skies in this sector. The
Red Air Force, using the new La
vochkin fighter and improved
models Of the Yak, Mig and Lagg
planes, kept command. Stormovik
and American BIS bombers helped
overcome the German advantage Of
shorter supply lines.