Evening star., 1944-10-06
Reds, Yugoslavs
Battle Germans
For Belgrade
Tito, Near Front,
Moy Make Formal
Entry Into Capitol
BY the Associated Press.


Entry Into Capitol
BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, Oct. 6.-Russian and
Yugoslav troops fought the Ger
mans in the outskirts of Bel
grade today and front dispatches
indicated patrols had crossed to
the south bank of the Danube
from captured Pancevo, less than
8 miles from the capital.
Marshal Tito was reported near
the front and it was believed troops
Of his Army of National Liberation
would be the first formally to enter
the fortified old city of 267, 600. The
range of hills at whose, northwest
corner Belgrade is located is ideal
for Red Army infiltration tactics.
Pravda said other Allied Slavic
troops had reached the vicinity Of
Mis-, 130 miles southeast of Bel
grade, where the Belgrade Athens
Salonika and Belgrade Sofia rail-
roads meet.
80 Miles From Szeged.
In Northern Yugoslavia along the
Tisza River, other Russian troops
were less than 80 miles across fiat
Hungarian frontier country from
the second largest Hungarian city,
Szeged,, fmpeiilled frontally from
Romania as well. The conquest of
Hungary was declared in Russian
newspapers to be the first priority
objective of Russian strategy.
"The Red Army is clearing its way
to Budapest by fire and sword. !"
Pravda announced. Hungary pro-
tects the Germans southern flank
and continually supplies cannon fod-
der. The loss of Hungary would
mean the loss of raw materials such
as oil, metals and foodstuffs." Szeged
Is 96 miles southeast of Budapest.
ThirtY-five miles south of Belgrade.
Yugoslav units were locked in bitter
cattle with the Germans for the VIII
lage OF Topola, home OF Karageorge
Black George" ~ who beat the
Turks century ago and founded the
royal dynasty from which King Pc
ter descended.
Minor Defense Line.
The Timusul River, flowing into
the Danube at the western edge Of
Pancevo, the key rail junction
northeast of Belgrade which fell
yesterday, formed minor German
defense line. But it also formed the
edge of potentially dangerous
pocket for the enemy because it al
ready has been outflanked by the
Russians few miles north.
Partisans Ready to Aid.
Thousands of Partisans inside
Belgrade were reported armed and
ready to give blow for blow in the
battle to end the reign of terror un-
der which the Germans have held
the capital for AZ months.
Except for reporting patrol
activity, Moscow communicates
remained silent about any action
elsewhere on the eastern front.
Berlin has reported beginning of
new Russian offensive in West
ern Lithuania and invasion of the
Baltic island of Saare.)
The Russian campaign was not
confined to freeing Belgrade. With
Petrovgrad, 81 miles northward. as
a base, Soviet troops cleared the
enemy from an area of several Eun-
dred square miles on the east side
Of the Tisza River.
Push Toward Novi Sad.
These operations probed south of
Szeged. which has been menaced
from the east for more than a week;
pushed toward Now Sad, controlling
the Northern Yugoslav rail network,
and stretched German forces nearly
to the breaking point on 50-mile
flank protecting Southern Hungary.
From the southern environs Of
Belgrade to the tip of Greece, Ger
man divisions, variously estimated
by Allied military sources at to
Is, appeared powerless to save their
only remaining railway escape route.
On the north, although nothing
has been mentioned in the latest
official reports, high Russian officers
have confirmed that the Red Army
has won control of the central ridge
of the Carpatho- Ukraine-the Sec
tor where Russian forces scored
breach in 1916 and nearly knocked
Hungary out of the World War.
On the east embittered fighting in
the Hungarian frontier sectors and
in the Northern Transylvania high
lands around Cluj is sapping Ger
man and Hungarian strength and
ICoc pTTCCYA noCn ~