The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-27
Ancient City Was
 German Anchor
Ccontinued from Page D

"The Soviets. deploying their nu- nlerical superiority, attempted to encircle a German armored force north Of Brest-Litovsk. but this force fought it's way to the rear, causing heavy losses to the enemy" ," Ernst von Hammer. Berlin military commentator. said.
 German forces for three days en- gagged in extremely heavy battles against seven Soviet armies and five tank corps. The Germans. in view of the massed Soviet pressure. had to withdraw their defense in the area of Brest- -Litovsg.
 "Stubbornly fighting German rear guards covered the detaching move ment of the bulk of the German formations. and the Soyiets thus gained only a little ground"
 A "tense situation arose tempor- arily" in the Bialystok area. VOn Hammer said. claiming that the Germans managed to prevent a break-through" by falling back.
 Bialystok. city of 9i.OO0 before the war. is in the junction of the Warsaw-Leningrad ard Warsaw Moscow trunk railways.
 Vistuls Reports
 Une0nfirmed reports attributed by the British radio to Moscow said Soviet forces were pouring across the vlstula some 50 miles up river from Warsaw, The crossing of the last big water barrier east Of the German frontier l40 miles vest ward was made in anphibl0us trucks and covered by the fire Of artillery and trench mortars massed along the east bank, the reports said,
 A United Press dispatch from Moscow said Soviet tank units were the first to reach the Vistula, storm- ing forward despite repeated Ger. man efforts to eounter-attack with TeoFganized divisions ard fresh troops brought mp from Warsaw,
 One Soviet front dispatch said the Germans "are helpless against our avalanche" The Russians already had taken q number of points guarding the vlstula crossings. t said
 The Russian Government organ Igyestia said lighting Is raging on the banks Of the Vlstula and War; saw is listening greedily to the dls- tant rumble Of artillery and ls awaiting the hour Of liberation"
 A Moscow broadcast by Robert Magld0ff Of NEG said the Red Army probably had crossed the Vlstula southeast Of Warsaw, where the river was Teaebad on 2 broad front yesterday, and that more victory salnies are probable tonight, since the fall Of Daugayplls, bFest i1' toysk and staGislawoy IS es' peeted"
 Ne lenfiTmati0D
 The Moscow report of the cross, Ing as broadcast by the BEG lacked official confirmation, but gained eur' TeHey lD yleW Of the nla6slng 0f the Soviet fnTGes on the east bank 0f the river and agreement by both beTlip and Moscow that the battle For wle crossings was on,
 Another HiaG 'bf0adeast reported that Soviet troops had advanced along the east bank of the tistulp within 37 miles of Warsew, TD any event the capture 0f peblip, bb piles southeast Of the capital, and lle masslng ai tlle Wish put the Rus slans lD position i0r . IianklDe drive aeslnst waEsaw from the south,
 The EgehaDee Telegraph News Agency said WaFkeW wAs lD z state 0f acute tension, 0eFman troops were pTepaTine for the Hast battle' f0r the city, f Raid, and the inhab' ltents had opened large scale eaers Iilla attacks inside it, with expl9' alons allq gbnhFs sounding aally 70
 NaN sp0kaaBleD biDted that waTy GaW and LWow must 60 the way 0g khaFkov, kley and sn0lensk, and that great new EekeFyes' Btll pot be thrown Into the defense Of Pos land bnl ssged fer guarding the Reich itself
 "The whole structure Of the oeTs maD defenkes in ihs east n0w are enlmbling under irresistible Russian pressure, e United Press dispatch from M0ae0w said,
 4 Berlin broadcast ssld the tsalss nians had launched a direct attack on Kaunae, pFeswaF capital Of Lltlgs iania, and haavy fighting was going on in tile area, ek0cal bFeaehess by lbs Doysets wefe sealed oD, the