Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-16
SchIusseIburg Siege
Seen WeII-Timed
Timoshenko's Reported
Drive Aimed at Anchor
Of Leningrod Salient
By Maj, George Fielding Eliot.

10 By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
The persistent and detailed reports
from Stockholm that Russian troops
under the command of Marshal limo
shenko have opened a heavy attack,
supported by powerful siege artillery, on
the German stronghold Of SchlusScl-
burg, may be of great Importance, # true.
Stockholm is not always a reliable source
Of news, but in this case Swedish sources
in Finland ought to be able to report
with considerable accuracy on events
so close to the existing Russo-Finnish
border, and to the persistence of the
reports may be added the fact that such
an operation would be a very likely one
for the Russians to undertake.
Last Winter, despite their best efforts,
they were not able to free Leningrad
from the German grip. so that the city
was dependent during the winter on the
famous "iCc road" across Lake Ladoga,
and during the summer on intermittent
deliveries by boat across the lake. During
the periods Of spring and autumn when
the lake is closed to navigation. but the
ice is not thick enough to support traf-
fiC, Lenmgrad was cut off altogether
from the rest of the Soviet territory,
except By air.
The reason for this is the German
salient of which Schlusselburg is the
anchor. Based on the German positions
south and southwest of the city, the
enemy pushed forward long narrow
heavily fortified salient swinging around
southeast and east of Leningrad, the
tip Of which rests on Lake Ladoga
where the great fortress of SchlusselbWg
stands, immensely strengthened.and for
titled by the Germans. This salient cuts
the main highway and the main railway
between Leningrad and Moscow, and it
also cuts the main east-west railway to
Vologda and another and newer line
between the two, which connects Lenin-
grad and Moscow by way of Sonkoyo.
The Russians are in full possession of
all these lines right up to the eastern
edge of this narrow German salient.
Thus. if only Schlusselburg and the
salient reaching to 1t could be reduced,
the Russians would reopen rail and road
communication on large scale with
Leningrad, This would be of immense
relief to the population of Russia's
second city. But in the military sense
1t would mean much more. With its
communications open, Leningrad could
become a most important advance base,
where an attack on the extreme left
flank of the German line could be con-
centrated and delivered This would
tend to outflank the German positions
around Lake linen, and if co-ordinated
(and all the Russian attacks have paid
great heed to co-ordination) with further
Russian offensive operations in the Veil
kie Luki area might compel the Germans
to do what they must long have been
contemplating pull their left flank back
to Lake Peipus or even to the Dvina.
Already, as previously noted in these
articles, the fall of Velikie Luki and
the Russian pressure west and south OF
that regained stronghold is endangering
the whole German position north of that
point all the way up to Leningrad The
Germans can hardly have any reserves
to spare for counterattacks, save local
ones, in all this area; and compare
lively slight Russian advance from
Velikie Luki, or the fall of Rzhev which
may we'll be imminent, would release
much additional pressure against their
communications
If this moment has been chosen for
an attack on Schlusselburg. therefore. it
has been we'll chosen. The Russians
have not yet made any claim of sue
cess IN that area, but the Russian Gus
tom has been to withhold reports of
new offensive until something worth re-
porting has been accomplished. The
fall OF SchluSselburg, should it come,
would be a welcome indication-coming
so soon after the fall of Velikie I,uki-
that the great German strongholds are
not going to prove as impregnabIe this
winter as last. A factor in this regard
must, of course, be the heavy losses in
transport planes which the Germans
have sustained in their desperate at
tempts to hang on at Stalingrad, and
IN the central Mediterranean 1t was
on the air transport command that iso-
lated strongholds depended last year.
Inc temperance in the news of the
name of Marshal Timoshenko is of
much interest. After his relief in COM
mand Of the southern front by Gen.
IhukoY, nothing had been heard Of
hclalIy of his activities There were
rumors that he was wounded, and others
that he had been assigned some secret
post, If he now reappears in command
OF me Lenlngrad front, it seems very
iKely That his temporary retirement NAV
have been due to wounds or illness, and
that he Is resuming his post of duty al
the earliest possible moment.
Copyright 1943. New York Tribune, Inc)
Americans Said 10 Lack Pride
Tn AnnnintKnant IS