Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-08
German Reserves Stuy
Russians in Ukraine
Major Eliot Declares
New Russian Effort
Can Be Expected
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
The situation on the Russian front
| may now be summarized something like
| this:
The Germans have STAYED off, at least
| for the time being, imminent disaster in
! the Ukraine by putting in substantial
part of their general reserve. Heavy
fighting is still going on in that area,
but the strategical position of the Ger
mans in the Donets salient remains I'M
satisfactory and will continue so unless
the Germans can retake and hold
kharkov. Short of such an accomplish
ment, the Germans must eventually re-
tire from the Donets region, Or face a
constant drain on their reserves to main
tain their position.
AS was expected, the Russians, with
the coming of the early thaws in the
south, switched their main attention to
the north. They are threatening
Staraya Russia, German anchor point for
the Lake linen front Another Russian
attack still farther north may be ex-
pected.
Meanwhile, they have taken Rzhev, so
long held by the enemy, and the conse-
| quence has been the immediate fall Of
Gzhatsk and the enlightenment of Vyaz-
ma, which does not seem likely to remain
long in German hands.
This puts the Germans back to the
| line Vitebsk-Smolensk- Roslavl- Bryansk,
with Orel (east of Bryansk) enveloped
and in great danger. The Germans have
made very stout defense at Orel From
the map it is little difficult to UNDER
stand why, unless 1t is as defense Of
Bryansk against immediate attack from
the east.
The Germans thus have been COM
PEELED to adjust their position in Gen.
trail Russia to that in South Russia,
and further adjustment in the north
seems assured, since there are not the
reserves available to meet the increas-
ing Russian pressure. Not yet, however,
have the Russians really endangered
the great north-south railway Genin-
observation-disclosures on which the
whole German supply system in Russia
depends, just as nervous system de-
| ponds on the spinal cord.
In this connection it should be borne
| IN mind that in Central Europe north Of
| the great mountain barrier of the Alps
and the Carpathians chat is to say. in
| Germany and Poland the main trunk
| line railways and the main arterial high
| ways run east and west, rather than
| north and south. The Germans have
! done this for purpose, in order to be
| able to execute their favorite strategy
OF disposing of an eastern or western
enemy quickly and then turning to deal
with another enemy on the other side
of Germany. It is plan indispensable
to the military exploitation OF their
central position in Europe.
| Entering Russia, all these east-west
| railways run up to the great north-south
railway from Leningrad to Odessa. This
| line has been converted to the German
| standard gauge, and it can receive trains
| from Germany at any junction point
| along its whole length, and transfer
them north or south to other junction
points serving the various sectors of the
front by branch lines leading eastward
| into deeper Russian territory. Some OF
these branch lines have been partly con.
verified to German gauge, others must
still use the Russian broad gauge equip
ment. In some cases, road transport
must be used.
AS long as the Germans hold this
railway they can take care OF their
supply problems In Russia as far as
transportation Is concerned, provided
the haul eastward to the front is not
too long and difficult. Hence the present
| tendency Is to shorten these forward
lines OF communication and eliminate
as much as possible the use of broad
gauge lines for which there Is insuffi-
Gent equipment and of long road hauls
dor which there is insufficient gasoline
and OLD
The Germans must. more and more,
depend on the railways for military
transport. That is, they must make
| coal, OF which they have a bountiful
supply. do as much as possible of the
! work, IN order to conserve their gasoline
and oil for their air force, their subma-
rines and for indispensable industrial
and transportation uses.
Meanwhile, their local successes in
| South Russia have been purchased at
the cost, not only of lives and equipment,
but of the loss, for time at least, of a
great portion of their strategic freedom
of action, by involving so much of their
available reserves. They must, as quickly
| as they can, devise some means for dis
engaging part of these troops to meet
the exigencies of the coming spring
Hence it will be surprising if, in the
end, they really attempt to hold fast
their more advanced positions in the
Donets Basin 1t also will be surprising
| II the Russians, who came so close to a
smashing victory in this area, do not
presently find reserves with which to
try again, when the expected renewal Of
the frosts temporarily hardens the black
| earth.
| Copyright. 1913. by New York Tribune, Incl
Voting Held Important Enough