Evening star., 1945-03-25
Struggle for Berlin
Expected 10 Be War; S
BIoodiest Battle
Ey the Associated Preee

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 24.-The NaZis
last ditch defense of Berlin may
include gas, but whatever their
tactics, the Germans will be facing
an attack at which the Russians
excel - assault, encirclement and
gradual destruction.
The hint of gas came from a cor
respondent of the Zurich Servir who
reports that gas containers and
electors have been installed IN a
ring completely encircling Berlin.
Crushing Berlin may be Russian
Field Marshals Gregory K. Zhukov's
and Ivan S. Konevs biggest and
bloodiest job of the war.
German military commentators,
adept at recognizing assault prepa-
rations, repeatedly have predicted
that frontal assault on Berlin will
be withheld until Konev is in a
position to strike a f1anking blow
from the southeast, and Zhukov's
forces have neutralized Stettin's
defenses for a similar blow from
the north.
There already has been fighting
west of the Oder River in the fore
front of Berlin's defenses but the
Germans have declared it to be a
bridgehead expansion only, neces
sary preliminary fore Zhukov is
set to strike his Dig blow.
Barrier Is Formidable.
This probing of Berlins outer
battlementS has given Zhukov def
mite indications of what he must
overcome Although Moscow never
has confirmed operations beyond
the Oder, Russian military writers
have reported in detail the type
of fortified zone which exists there.
Maj. l. Anufriev, said srongpoints
cover the whole vast area.
"A path leads to group of
heights" he says Suddenly your
way is barred by ferro-concrete tank
obstacles Stretching mile after
mile in front of them is an anti
tank ditch with rows of dragons
teeth. Rows of barbed wire, fol-
lowed by ordinary trenches, stretch
beyond the tank obstacles, perma-
nent defenses, are combined with
field defenses.
"On the brow of the hill are sew
eral armored domes. The armor is
more than 300 millimeters thick.
The machine-gun domes have six
embrassures each, giving an all
round field of fire Slightly behind
tn nm stands an armored dome for
mortars and in the middle a special
dome for fame-thrower installa-
tions. The Germans could shell
every approach to this place from
any direction.
Galleries Stretch Miles.
The underground department is
warren of ammunition dumps and
workshops. A broad winding stair
case plunges to a depth of $50 feet
where there is a spacious hall and
an electric power station. There is
even a singletrack railway with
branches leading to neighboring
pillboxes. Underground galleries
stretch for miles"
Against these and similar fixed
defenses, ZAukov is expected to hurl
his familiar team of assault troops
and sapFers supported by armor, air
power and maSsed artillery.
Significantly, while German COM
mentators have told of elaborate
defenses 2eing built, their broad
casts lea, ,e no doubt they expect
eventually to be overcome and that
the battS of Berlin finally will be
fought areet-by-street.
Transocean War Reporter Hans
Ulrich Arntz recently asserted that
military defense of Berlin would be
divided into fanlike sectors, each
commanded by an officer expert
enced on the eastern front. Ger
mans hope,to utilize all natural OBJ
stacles SUD as chains of lakes. hills,
rivers anu canals, as well as
stretches of marshland and terrain
suitable for pillbox strongpoints.
Installations Built.
On vulnerable flanks, Arntz re-
ported, artificial installations are
being built, including tank barriers,
anti-tank bitches, nests of resistance
and firing spoints.
From other sources come reports
that the new Reich Chancellery and
the Air Ministry, where concrete
Easements still are intact, are to
be centers of resistance, while the
Berlin subway has been transformed
into temporary barracks and ware
house for military stores.
Ever alert to find propaganda
angle, Berlin reporters have claimed
recent mass air raids by Americans
and British have helped rather than
hindered Berlin in battle prepara-
tions, contending bomb craters and
ruined houses have created terrain
classical" for street fighting.
This assertion drew amused re-
Spouse from Pravda, the Moscow
paper observing: I'VE can promise
them that this spring will see further
extension of the terrain classical
they seem to appreciate so much"
If the attack follows the familiar
pattern, assault parties probably will
be formed in each squadron, usually
consisting of three tanks. two as
sault guns and a number of light
guns.
The tanks pump shells into the
target just ahead of the assault
troops. Desperate hand-to-hand
battles ensue inside buildings, with
offensives on landings and stair
cases and advances from floor to
floor. Pillboxes and heavy defenses
are treated with high explosives,
f1amethroWers and rockets.
Red Methods Outlined.
Antitank defenses usually are
tackled with tanks and self-pro-
PEELED guns which blast away at OBJ
tacles while sappers clear debris and
deal with mines behind barriers.
Guns moving with assault groups
/