NOT FAR OFF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 226, 21 June 1944, Page 5

NOT FAR OFF

End Of Resistance By Finns VIEW IN SWEDEN (Py Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, June 20. “It is generally considered here that the end of Finnish resistance is not very far off,” says the British correspondent, Norman Macdonald, reporting from Stockholm. “The campaign in the Karelian Isthmus has reached approximately the same stage as when the Finns approached Russia for peace terms in 1940; “There will have to be a change of Government in Finland, however, before anything can be done, for Moscow has taken the view that the present Finnish Government is definitely too much under German control. “It is believed that Marshal Baron von Mannerheim may be the one to lead his country to peace. Some months ago a number of Opposition members of the Riksdag approached him, and submitted to him a list of possible members of a new Government. When and how such a change could be made is not known here, but Mannerheim could very easily become a Finnish Badoglio, with the difference that Mannerheim has a much greater following among the Finns than Badoglio had among the Italians. Another correspondent in Sweden says that the movements Of Finnish diplomats hint at the possibility of peace negotiations. It is learnt in Stockholm that the Finnish representative there, who unexpectedly visited Helsinki on Sunday, was summoned by the Finnish Foregin Minister, and entrusted with a special mission. CRITICAL SITUATION Finnish Realization Of Threat To Viborg LONDON, June. 19. The Russian forces on the Leningrad front on the Karelian Isthmus, continuing their offensive, extended the breach in the Mannerheim Line to 30 miles in width from Mudla to the Guff of Finland, says a Moscow correspondent. The Russians cleared' all the enemy troops from the southern shores of Lake Suvanto. The Russians today captured the large enemy strongpoints of fcjumma, Lijahulla, and Muola. They also fought their way into 70 inhabited places. There is no material change on the other sectors of the front. ’ . . . One war correspondent reports, that the Finns are going back “like whipped Govrov’s triple advance toward Viborg is beginning to encompass the city and' entrap the Finnish forces remaining on the Karelian Isthmus, states Reuter's Moscow correspondent. Govorov, bent on a lightning campaign, ia switching powerful artillery concentrations from sector to sector as he varies the weight and direction of his attacks. His tactics, so far, have been wholly successful. . , . The roar of (Russian planes is almost continuous over the fire-scorched battle area. The Finns are reported to have appealed to the Germans for more aid, and particularly for additional planes, but so far the Germans have not responded.^ rmans T j ght . General Dietl is sitting tight in northern Finland because the possession of Pctsamo is more important for the Germans than Viborg and other southern to The Helsinki correspondent of the Stockholm “Aftonbladet” says that military circles in Helsinki, in an amazingly frank comment today on the position of the Finnish Army, described the situ ation as critical, with Viborg rect:l -. menaced by the onrushing Red Army*. Giving details of the Karelian offensive, a Soviet communique says that for more than three hours Soviet artillery was wrecking numerous enemy defence fortifications and the Soviet .air force was dealing massed 1 blows against the enemy. Units of one Soviet formation reached and crossed at,once the Sestra River and by.a violent outflanking blow occu . pl^_ river town and large railway station o Te The°enemy is sustaining, heavy losses in manpower and material. In the trenches, blockhouses and pillboxes thousands of dead enemy troops were left. They were killed by the Soviet Air Force and artillery. Prisoners were taken and by their fire, have been assisting the Soviet troops in their advance. A Finnish communique states. particularly fierce fightingon the Ka relian Isthmus we abandoned Bjorko, also Valkajarvi and Bantu, 22 and eight miles respecttively west of Metsapirtti.