Evening star., 1943-01-17
Relief for Leninorud?

One of the most intriguing aspects
OF the winter war on the eastern
front is what may be happening on
Its northern sectors. Nearly month
ago, Germany's ace military COM
mentator, General Ditmar, asserted
that the heaviest blow in the Russian
offensive was coming, not in the
south, but toward the northern end
OF the line. Shortly thereafter,
Marshal Timoshenko, hitherto in
command of the southern Russian
army group, was transferred to a
northern post. This shift could not
have been a demotion, in view of his
brilliant record. His proven skill in
organizing elaborate offensives made
it seem logical that he had been
given fresh task in line with his
strategic talents.
Slightly over fortnight ago came
the powerful Russian smash at
Velikiye Luki, the extremely impor-
tant hinge of the German front, just
where 1t bends eastward into the
big Rzhev-Viazna salient threatening
Moscow and covering Smolensk, the
key point of the Axis central front.
Just what happened at Velikiye Luki
is even now uncertain. Moscow said
it had fallen, and the capture of this
first German hedgehog" was hailed
as a Russian triumph portending
greater things to come. Berlin has
consistently denied its loss. Perhaps
neither claim is wholly correct. Those
big German hedgehogs are more than
single fortified point. They are
rather an extensive fortified area.
So the Russians may have taken the
town itself without expelling the de-
tenders from maze of bunkers and
trenches perhaps several miles in
depth. Even Moscow does not claim
to have advanced much beyond the
town in any direction and speaks of
powerful German counterattacks. So
we may consider that sector at least
Professionally stabilized.
1t Is interesting to note that the
Russian attack on Velikiye Luki was
first reported by the German side.
Now Berlin announces another big
Russian attack farther north, while
from neutral Sweden come dis
patches describing this new offensive
as directed toward the relief of
Leningrad. Such a move might be
anticipated If the Russians have
enough reserve striking power. The
great Russian metropolis, once the
capital of Czarist Russia and still
the Soviet Unions outlet on the Bal
tic Sea, must be in desperate straits.
For nearly year and half it has
been besieged by land and blockaded
by sea, the only contact with the
rest of Russia being across Lake
Ladoga to the eastward. That tenu-
Gus line of communication Is sadly
insufficient for its vast population
and big garrison. Last winter, some
thing like 100000 persons are sup
posed to have died from starvation,
cold and disease. The second siege
winter must now be taking fearful
toll. Moscow may we'll deem it nee
essary to make a supreme effort to
remedy this situation.
The task Is a. difficult one. The
Germans have undoIlbtedlv fortified
their siege lines with all their en-
gineering skill. The key to their
defense system is the bristling
hedgehog" of Schluesselburg,
natural fortress situated at the
southern tip of Lake Ladoga. Here
the German front comes to an apex,
only few miles across between the
defenders of Leningrad and their
comrades from the rest of Russia.
Those few miles, however, must be
battered down literally yard by yard.
The tenacious defense of Stalingrad
shows how slow and costly is the
process of reducing a well-fortified
area stubbornly held to the utmost.
1t can be assumed that Schluessel-
burg is garrisoned by picked German
troops ready to fight to the last. We
may, therefore, be about to witness
another ferocious death grapple,
with Russians and Germans ex-
changing combatant roles.