Evening star., 1943-03-08
Fresh Red Troops
Pour Into Gaps
In EnemyLines
MAP on Page A-6.)
BY EDDY GILMORE.
ny IOD1 01IV1O1VL,
Associated Press War Cnrresnnndenk

MOSCOW, March 8.-The Red
Army rolled on westward today,
with fresh Soviet troops pour
ing into gaps in the German
lines far west of Gzhatsk and
south of Olenino, where two
Russian columns apparently are
planning the doom of the i'm
portant German base at Vyazma,
IS miles west of Gzhatsk.
The capture of more than 100 more
settlements was reported in the last
"a hours, while numerous others are
falling continuously and still others
are blockaded by the Red Army and
on the verge of falling.
Withdrawal of Nazi troops from
Sychevka, midway between Rzhev
and Vyazma, was announced in a
German high command COM
munique broadcast from Berlin
and recorded by the Associated
Press. The high command ex-
planned that this conformed with
the planned shortening of our
front"
Soviet attacks were declared to
have been held in the Orel sector
and south of Lake linen. Some
what enigmatically, the COM
munlque reported that South
west Of Kharkov our attacking di-
visions broke enemy resistance
and carried an attack into the re-
glon west of the town" 1t men,
toned neither specific objectives
nor the distance of the battle site
from the Russian-held city,
Weather Still Holds Grip.
Winter weather still is holding
its strong grip on Central and
Northern Russia, but during the
day the fast-climbing sun melts the
top layers of snow and ice. They
freeze again quickly when the
shadows hit them.
Two large Red Army forces are
sicing large chunks out of the Ger
man lines and converging in the
area northwest Of Gzhatsk.
One of these forces, driving west
and northwest from Gzhatsk, in
creased the threat to wanna from
the front flank. The other, push
ing south and southwest of Olenino,
further increased the threat to this
vital German base from the rear.
Permanent residents of Gzhatsk
who survived the German occupa-
ton are now digging out household
belongings, food and possessions.
The Russians, who fought their
way into the city Saturday over the
bodies of some $500 Germans, killed
1000 more in developing this often
sive overnight west of the city and
south of Olenino to the northwest,
the Soviet midday communique said.
Action Over Wide Front.
Pravda reported that the Red
Army was forcing the Germans from
numerous settlements in Smolensk
districts along a wide front.
The midday communique an
nounced further Soviet advance
west OF Sevsk, where several settle
ments were captured.
In the Don Basin, in the district
southwest of Voroshilovgrad, the
Red Army was reported fighting off
attacks by large enemy forces of
motorized infantry assisted by 60
tanks.
The Germans, who are leaving
their guns and stores of material
behind as they abandon the posi-
tions with which they have been
threatening Moscow for about h
year and a half, retreated in dis
order in one sector when Soviet
troops worked around behind their
lines and threatened encirclement,
the communique said.
Strong Points Fall.
Six strongly fortified points of
resistance south of Olenino fell to
the Red Army forces on this north
ern arm OF the offensive as they
surged forward with all the great
strength of Moscows factories and
supplies behind them, it was an
nounced. More than 600 Germans
were reported killed and others were
sent to the rear as prisoners.
Southwest of Orel, where the Rus
slams seem to be driving north
westward to pinch off the Nazi
salient spearheaded by Orel, more
communities were captured west of
Sevsk and isolated German garri-
sons Offering resistance were wiped
out, the communique said.