THREATENING WEDGES

Evening Star, Issue 24292, 5 September 1942, Page 5

THREATENING WEDGES

Will Stalingrad Fall? City Ringed By The Enemy Frags Association—By Telegraph—Copyright (Received 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. With wedges driven into their defences both north-west and south-west of the city, the Russians are fighting with new and desperate fury to hold the tremendous forces pressing towards Stalingrad. The latest reports from Moscow describe Stalingrad’s situation as most critical., The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent in Moscow, in a despatch which was passed by the Soviet censor, says; “ Stalingrad is ringed by the enemy, and is perhaps about to fall.” An N.B.C. correspondent, broadcasting from Moscow, declared: “ The battle for Stalingrad has become the greatest armed clash the world has known. The Germans in the north-west are closer to Stalingrad than the Germans in the south-west, but the situation to the south-west of the city is even more critical, because fighting is raging within the Russian lines. About 100 German tanks attacking here are doing their utmost to crash into the city, while scores more are surging around this main body trying to discover loopholes in the Russian defences.” One of the world’s greatest air battles is raging over Stalingrad. In one raid 150 German planes came in from all directions and 47 were shot down. Swarms of bombers and fighters are attacking the city and its communications and battle lines day and night. Russian planes are resisting magnificently, but are heavily outnumbered. German prisoners stated that the, Luftwaffe has requisitioned remforcements from Germany, France, Egypt, and Sicily. The view taken in London is that the Germans arc staking the success of their whole 1942 campaign on the capture of Stalingrad. The Russians are recognised to be desperately bard pressed. By concentrating an enormous mass of troops and'equipment in front of a broad river with very limited lines of communication behind it they run the risk of being trapped, but to break through 15 or -0 miles of fortified country, remains a formidable proposition for the Germans. Stalingrad may yet prove to be a second Moscow or Leningrad for them, while the ‘ Bed Star has called upon the Russian defenders to make Stalingrad a “ Red \ erdun. Spectacular results are not expected from the Russian counter-offensive west of Moscow, which at present has relaxed. Its objectives seem to be the cluster of centres and communications which are of essential importance for any attack on Moscow. The strength and deliberateness ot this attack give the impression that the Soviet Command is working to a comprehensive plan and is not being reduced to hasty improvisation. In the south the Germans have at last crossed the Terek River and are also closing in on Novorossisk. They continue to encounter stiff resistance in the advance on Grozny.