Evening star., 1943-01-01
Russian
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NuSSIOn
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Cherishkovski, then south across the
Don to the Stalingrad- -Tikhoretsk
railroad just east of Dubovskoye,
then southeast toward the salient
past Elisha.
The special New Year commu-
nique said 1889 towns had been cap
tured in the powerful triple often
sive on both sides of Stalingrad, in
the middle Don and southwest of
Stalingrad which began November
10. Advances up to 125 miles had
been chalked up, it said.
The special bulletin disclosed that
the Red Army drives northwest and
southwest of Stalingrad, through
the middle Don area, and far
south of Stalingrad were three close
ly-knit phases of one major stra-
tegic operation, carefully drawn
up by the Red Army command to
save Stalingrad.
THE aim was skillfully accom-
plished," the communique declared.
1t revealed that the Soviet drives
went into high gear December IL
and imputed bad planning to the
German high command.
I'm the course of September, 1912,
the German Fascist troops were
halted by the Red Army before
Stalingrad,' the special victory re-
capitulation recounted.
THE wars trend disclosed that the
German strategic plans to capture
Stalingrad and to cut off the central
European part of the Soviets from
the Volga and the Urals was hur-
riedly formed without taking into
account their actual resources and
the Soviet reserves.
"In complete contrast was the
Soviets strategic plan for surround
ing and defeating the German
troops at Stalingrad, drawn up by
the supreme command of the Red
Army. This plan was carried out
in November and December, 1912"
Twenty seven Russian command
ers were cited specifically in the
communique for their leadership
among infantry, tank and plane
forces, under the general leadership
of Gen. Gregory K. zhukov. Com
manders principally singled out
were Col. Gen. N. F.. Vatutin, 1t.
Gen. Constantin Rokossovsky, 1t.
Gen. F. I. Golikov, Col. Gen. Yere-
menko, Col. Gen. Vissilevsky and
Col. Gen. Voronov.
Claim Nazi Entrapment.
For the first time Soviet authori-
ties claimed officially that the %
German divisions before Stalingrad
some of the Nazi troops still hold
dugouts in the factory area Of the
Volga River port-were tightly en-
circled.
And for the first time Col. Gen.
Yeremenko was named as the de-
fense commander of the city which
went under siege 131 days ago today.
(Gen. Yeremenko was not listed
in available American directories
and his name has not figured in
Soviet strategy reports before)
The regular communique of the
Soviet command, issued early today
following the special announcement,
said the drives continued yesterday
on all fronts. 1t reported the cap
ture Of Oblivskaya, a city on the
CHR River in the Lower Don, 30
miles west of Stalingrad and 100
miles southeast Of Milierovo. A
train load Of airplanes was reported
taken at Oblivskaya.
The capture of the district centers
OF Nizhne Chirskaya, about IS miles
southeast of Stalingrad on the west
bank of the Don near its junction
with the CHR River, and of Pritnaya
also was announced.
Priyutnoe-a variable spelling
is shown on available maps 40
miles slightly southwest of Elista
and 40 miles south of Remontnoe
to which the Russians had driven
Tuesday. The extent of the ad-
vance indicates the speed with
which the Red Army was moved
into the Kalmyck Steppe. The
town is only about 10 miles from
the waters of the Manych River0
Offensive Continues.
The third communique of New
Year Day, the Soviet Information
Bureaus midday bulletin, said the
Russian offensive continued to roll
in last nights fighting, with the
captureS of several more populated
places fouthwest of Stalingrad and
three more towns in the middle Don.
German counterattacks remained
bitterxthe bulletin said, but futile.
It described the success of Rus
sian tank outfit southwest of Stain
grad in destroying 300 Germans
along with their equipment.
IN another sector" it reported
Germans who had fortified them
selves in their positions attempted
to halt the advance of Soviet unit.
Our troops passed the enemy and
then attacked him from the rear.
In fierce engagements 400 enemy
officers and men were killed and war
material and prisoners were cap
tured."
The advance, which swept three
more towns into the Russian fold in
the Middle Don, also netted 80