Evening star., 1949-09-30
By Harrison {. Salisbury

Alan G. Kirk today concluded q
three day unofficial visit to Stall
. ingrad, whose defense against theI
Germans, in the words Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, marked the turn
ing point in the war"
It was the first journey within
Russia by Americas new emissary
to the Soviet Union and the first
time since the war that an Ameri-
can ambassador had visited the
scene Of the Soviets' most notable
victory in the struggle against
Germany.
Mr.. Kirk not only inspected
battlefelds within the city where.
just seven years ago this month,
Hitler's Panzer legions strove in
vain to hurl the Russian de-
tenders into the volga. He also
saw smoke pouring from many
tall smokestacks of the Red Oc-
tober tractor factory and tractors
themselves in shiny new grey
paint awaiting shipment.
He saw new buildings rising and
walked through pleasant parks
which, in September 1942, re-
sounded with the crash of gunf1re
and whine of aerial bombs.
(Mr. Kirk returned to Moscow
by plane late Wednesday,
Expresses Admiration.
The ambassador expressed sat-
isfaction with his visit and "ad-
miration for the measures being
taken to rebuild and improve the
city so gallantly defended during
the famous SIEGE"
Mr.. Kirk arrived in Stalingrad
Monday after a 36-hour train trip
from Moscow. He was housed in
a new, comfortable suite at the
Intourist Hotel, located of the
central square of the city. Just
across the street had been the
basement headquarters where |
Field Marshal Gen. Friedrich Won
Paulus finally surrendered jan
uary 81, 1943.
On the spot where Won Paulus
yielded now stands a busy six
story department store, which
opened only 10 days ago. Skele-
tons Of some buildings remain on
the square. Some will be rebuilt /
under architects 10-year plan for
reconstruction of the city, but
along one side Of the square old
buildings will be replaced by a
broad plaza leading down to the
Volga River. four blocks distant.
The square is now abloom with
flowers and shrubs.
Here Mr.. Kirk saw a simple
granite shaft erected to the men,
ory Of civil war fighters who de-
Tended what was then Tsaritsynl
against the White Guards and a
memorial to Red Army defenders
In the more recent war. On the
Volga banks. Mr.. Kirk saw q rub
blefield in which Soviet Gen.
Vastly I. Chuikov had his head
quar- ISfS QugOuL.
Examined Dugouts.
Along streetcar tracks which
marked the no-man's land be-
tween German attackers and
Soviet defenders. busy blue and
tan trolleys carried Stalingraders
to and from jobs in the elongated
city, which follows the Volga bank
for some SO miles.
A four-story apartment house
which was defended against at
tack after attack for So days by
6ergt. Jacob F. Pavlov and seven
companions has been restored. It
Is filed with Stalingrad workers
and their families.
Behind the apartment house.
In q badly shattered red brick
flour factory, Mai. Gen. Rodimt-
sew once had his headquarters.
His division played a key role in
Stalingrad's defense. Mr.. Kirk
clambered over the clay banks of
the Volga to inspect caved-in
dugouts and traces of communi-
cations trenches.
New, whitewashed cottages are
scattered along the bank.
Women peacefully went about
chores there. SwarmS of young
children played busily.
Mr.. Kirk climbed the command
Ing Stalingrad heights called
Mamayev Kurgan. a rolling clay
bluff 800 or 400 feet high, and
expressed the opinion it was the
key Of Stalingrad's defense.
On the crest stood the skeletons
Of two German light tanks, testi-
mony Of the highwater mark of
Nazi penetration.
As BELTS a retired American ad-
miral who commanded a naval
hotilla in the Allied invasion of