Evening star., 1943-02-04
Declares Hitler's S Fate
Sealed at StoIingrod
Militory Writer Insists
Detected Nozi Leader
Knows He Is Done For


BY Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
The epic of Stalinsrad is over. At 1
O'Clock in the afternoon Of February 2
the last remnants Of the starving, freez-
ing German troops trapped on the bleak
steppes between the Volga and the Don
surrendered to Marshal Voronov and
Col Gen. Rokossovsky. History repeats
itself; once again the unbeatable COM
bination OF Russian distances, Russian
SHOWS and Russian valor has blasted
the arrogant ambitions of 4 conaueror.
So it was with Charles XII. 30 with Ma
poleon, and now It's Adolf Hitler, the
Austrian house painter.
Nazi blitzkrieg, the final and bloody
terminus OF the drang mach osten. VIC
tory at Stalingrad might have given
Hitler the oil of the Middle East and
the approaches to India and to junction
with his Japanese partners in the crime
he sought to perpetrate against the
human race.
Defeat at Stalingrad has doomed him
to inevitable ruin. He and all he stands
for are finished. He will fieht on for q
while; he is still dangerous, he can still
do us grevious hurt before he goes
down. He win not yield easily or quickly,
But he is done for; he knows 1t and the
world knows it. Before his banners
free men no longer tremble. The legend
of his invincibility is forever shattered.
Perhaps 1t was his belief In that leg
end that led him on and on long after
1t was apparent that he had set his
army an impossible task. BY mid
October it was possible to say that 4
German success at StaMngrad was un-
likely; by mid-November that it verged
on the impossible. and four days later,
when the Russians launched their great
counterdrive, It was almost instantly
clear that the Germans were face to
face with the greatest disaster which
any German army has ever suffered on
the battlefield since Bismarck first
forged the German empire out Of the
blood and iron Of his victories.
Russian distances, Russians SHOWS.
Russian valor-these were the insredi-
ents Of Russian victory and German
debacle,
Distances-the long. weary line Of
communications across the steppes.
whether through the bend q the Don
or BY way Of Rostov and the North
Caucasian area, sucked the life from
the German striking power. The tre-
mendous e6ort which had to be nut Into
the mere transporting Of the supplies
and munitions and reinforcements for
the great army was Of Itself mi9htv
drain On German strength. But IN a.
dition to the labor, there was also the
task Of suardins every yard of railway,
every station, every depot every bridge
against the exer-present guerrilla
bands. In sum total It proved impos-
sible for the Germans to sustain at the
farther end Of that long line ! military
enort Of su6acient power and sufacient
continuity TO bring them victory.
Time and again they gathered together
men, equipment and munitions for
mighty blow: time and again they struck.
but always they fell short OF their goal:
Always the stubborn resistance. TAD
grudgingly with reinforcements when
absolutely necessary. but backed by the
ample depots Of the fortress and by the
open communications across the volsa.
proved just suficient to halt the Ger
mans short OF complete success.
Time and again the Germans had IA
quit, ana start al over again the painful
toilsome process Of building up anew
their striking power In that distant place
thousand miles and more from thu
sources Of that power.
Snows-the dread Russian winter With
which the Russians have lived through
out their lives. but which Is 20 deadly to
men who have lived their lives in the
mild climate Of the North European
coastal plain where Germany Is stu.
ated; the SHOWS, too, played their part.
Iney make movement Oh the roads i'm.
possible to heavy tanks, heavy trucks.
heavy artillery, while It Il still possible
for Russian cavalry hight guns. sledee-
carried n,ortars; they reduce or elimi-
nate the use Of aviation. last hope Of the
trapped Germans.
Russian valor-we know It on the Bat
tlefield. It needs no proof. But it vas
present also In the secret chambers of
the high command; 1t required . hieher
quality Of moral courage than any Rus.
sian soldier ever needed In the field. to
sit grimly and wait. to hold back the re-
serves behind the volga and the Don.
to stick resolutely to . formed plan Of
action until the moment came to strike,
No praise can Be too high for the Rus
sian conduct OF this campaign. REIN
forcements were fed sparinsly into
Stalingrad, and only when the need vas
dire, and then only the smallest number
that could serve the purpose. It was
risky, OF course; but war = . matter Of
taking calculated risks, well weighed In
the balance against anticipated advan-
tage
There must have been grim moments:
there must have been hours when it took
all the resolution Of which human M.
ture is capable to resist the temptation
to send corps when division would
DO. to refuse an armored brigade here
and squadron Of airplanes there, to
hoard the striking power OF Russia
against the DAY when It could be un-
loosed in one mighty blow for the de-
struction Of the German Army.
The epic Of Stahnsrad II over. The
tide Of Nazidom has reached it, height.
Is ebbing now forever. But the glory of