Evening star., 1943-07-06
Nuzis Suffer Bio
Losses All A!onq
Central Sector
MAP on Page A-6.)

VISIONS ana infantry nave been
flung back with heavy losses all
along the 165-mile central front
from Orel to Belgorod, the Rus
slams reported today, as the long
expected Nazi summer offensive
moved into its second day.
Despite terrific destruction to
their armored units, amounting in
some cases to as high as so per cent
Of total attacking strength, the
Nazi Army kept boring into the
heavily defended positions. In only
isolated sectors, however, have they
managed to penetrate the defense
lines, Red Army leaders said.
The Russian midnight communi-
que said that in the initial hours of
the battle Red Army units destroyed
586 tanks and 203 planes.
l52 More Tanks Knocked Out.
The midday communioue reported
an additional l52 tanks were
knocked out Of the fight, including
a number of the new Cotton Tiger
tanks. In one sector alone in the
Orel-Kursk area. the bulletin said,
Soviet troops destroyed so out of a
German unit of 100 tanks. The
communique also reported 1000
Germans had been slain in this area
and 1000 more in one sector Of the
Belgorod front.
Military experts said it was too
early vet to speculate whether Hitler
aims to try to capture Moscow to
the north, the Caucasian Oil fields to
the south, or both.
Orel, at the northern end of the
l65-mile central front. is about 200
miles south of MOSCOW. Kursk is
hallway between Orel and Bel
gorod, the southern terminus which
lies about $50 miles northwest of
Rostov. RuSsian-held gateway to
the Caucasus.
The German communique re-
ported heavy fighting in the
Belgorod and Kursk areas and
declared it grew out of "a sue
cessful local attack by German
infantry in the Bel2orod sector
followed by strong Soviet coun-
terattacks."
The fighting has spread TO
the area north Of KurSk and is
assuming ever greater violence
said the communique broadcast
by Berlin and recorded by the
Associated Press
"A later Berlin broadcast de-
MED the Germans had launched
a large scale offensive and de-
clared that reports that the goal
OF this operation was the occu-
patton of Moscow we're nom
SenSical.
tTerming the Russian report OF
the German movement trick Of
enemy propaganda, the broadcast
said 1t intends to aScribe to the
German high command alleged
plans and intentions in order to
speak of German failure when
such plans are not pursued" The
Germans in the past. however.
have denied operations consti-
tuted an offensive until they we're
we'll advanced,
Start Of Battle Described.
Dispatches reaching Moscow from
the front told of the start of the
battle just after dawn yesterday.
The Nazis, these advices said.
used classic tactics II smashing
artillery barrage coupled with heavy
air bombardment designed to de-
stroy Russian men and guns and
blast a path through the Russian
line for the German infantry and
armored divisions.
The Germans were firing with
everything they had - long-range
batteries. medium-range cannon.
howitzers, multiple -barreled mortars
and even short-range weapons were
rolled out before the German front
line.
Russian batteries countered with
whitening fire and as the artillery
duels continued the Germans at
tempted various strategems - such
as suddenly switching targets-in an
effort to confuse the Russian troops.
The various ruses failed and Soviet
artillerists succeeded in silencing a
number OF German batteries, the
Russians said.
During the artillery duels Red
Army infantrymen crouched in dug
outs and slit trenches. When the
German tanks and infantry began
their advance toward the Russian
lines the infantry resumed their
places along the firing line.
Nazi Attacks Fail.
The dispatches said the first wave
to reach the Russian positions found
that the heavy barrage designed tc
hack lanes through the Soviet lines
had failed and that the Russian in
fantry was still there.
The succeeding steps in the as
sault apparently found the Germans
employing the familiar pattern OF
attack by tank units, followed by in.
fantry, with small groups of bombers
supporting from the air.
The first enemy attack was begur
early in the morning. A group o1
German infantry preceded by severa
tanks came out into no-mans lane
as the smoke from the artillery bat.
tie was rolling away. They wer.
quickly repulsed by fire from tn.
frontline Soviet detachments, tn,
Russians declared.
Twenty minutes later, however
they said. it became obvious thai
this attack was only to divert at.
tention from a large-scale thrus,
which began along neighborinf
sector.
This time large German infantry
forces rushed into the battle on {
narrow sector of the front. Leading
the way. frontline reports said, were
more than 200 German tanks of al
(see RUSSIA, Page A-6o