Evening star., 1945-04-16
Patton Nearing Czech Border,
Capturing Hof to Split Reich;
Line Dented by Reds, Nozis Say
Russians ATTACKING
On 6O-MiIe Front,
Germans Report
BULLETIN.


German news agency. an
nounced tonight that the
Russians had captured the
Seelow Heights, % miles east
of Berlin, and linked up their
bridgeheads southwest and
northwest of KueStrin.
THE attack on Berlin has
started from the east and
vest Eugene Tarle, Soviet
historian, said today in Mos
cow broadcast on the Red
Army Hour program.
HITLER ORDER OF DAY demands
firm stand on eastern front.
Page Az
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April l6.-The Ger
man high command announced
today that the Russians had
launched their long-aWaited,
large scale offensive from the
east side of the German waist
at Berlin.
Earlier Berlin broadcasts had
made similar announcements, but
this was the first confirmation by the
formal communique. which usually
proves more accurate than the Ger
man news services. The high COM
mand declared the big Soviet steam
roller swung into action along Co.
mile front from the mouth of the
Neisse southeast of Berlin to the
Oderbruch, low plain on the west
bank of the Oder northeast of
Berlin.
Bitter fighting is in progress on
the entire front" Berlin's war bull
letin said.
New Bridgehead Reported.
German broadcasts indicated the
Russian assault was being mounted
on an even broader front, and re-
ported that a new bridgehead across
the Oder had been forged in the
first hours of the offensive in the
Schwedt area. 80 miles south of
Stettin and A miles northeast Of
Berlin.
Schwedt is 105 miles from See
hausen, where American forces
stand on the Elbe.
However, Russian and American
forces were even closer to junction
north of Berlin. German broadcasts
Indicated The Russians were re-
ported attacking close to Wriezen,
"a miles northeast of Berlin and
81 miles from the American 9Th
Army on the Elbe at Tangermuende.
Breaches Admitted.
The Germans said strong Soviet
tank forces had made breaches in
attacks toward the SeeloW Heights.
Seelow is 27 miles east of Berlin
and II miles west of Kuestrln.
Southeast of Berlin. a TranSocean
broadcast said. the Russians lashed
out in the Fuerstenberg area on the
Oder toward BeeskoW. q miles from
the capital and 81 miles from
American forces attacking in the
DeSSau area.
The first Russian aim seems to
be to enlarge the Kuestrin bridge
head" the German radio said In
referring IA the Seelow operations.
They tried to overrun the Ger
man front with 200 tanks there,
Some breaches could be sealed off. .
The Germans reported several
weeks ago that the Russians
reached Seelow, but were driven
back miles.
BY German account the Russian
offensive was being directed by Gen.
VASTLY Sokolovsky. The enemy said
he had replaced Marshal Gregory
Zhukov as commander of 1st White
Russian Army.
Gen. Sokolovsky, victor at Smo-
lensk, formerly was chief of staff OF
the 1st Ukrainian front.
Reports Unconfirmed.
This report on change of COM
manders had not been confirmed
by Moscow, nor had the report OF
the new offensive Moscow dis
patches said, however, that if the
attack had not started, the zero
hour was at least near.
At the southern end of the front
Moscow dispatches said, the Rus
slams had driven we'll past st. Poel-
ten, % miles west of Vienna, in a
drive up the Danube Valley in
Austria.
Berlin said the Russians in South
eastern Moravia, the central section
! (See RUSSIA, Page A-4D