GERMAN TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1941, Page 6

GERMAN TACTICS

ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE MORALE NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST RUSSIANS. AN INTERESTING SURVEY. (By Telegrapn—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, August 10. Examining Nazi military methods, the “Pravda” says they strive to create a semblance of encirclement, with a view to undermining the morale of the Russians and creating panic and disorganisation. When this fails in one sector, they immediately transfer their blows to neighbouring sectors, ■attacking flanks and trying to find .weak spots for a break through. Such tactics are meant for a weak enemy and could succeed only in countries where the Germans had to deal with an inadequately-armed enemy, whose troops soon lost their bearing on the appearance of large numbers of tanks, mine-throwers and motor-cyclists. When the Nazi troops in turn are threatened with encirclement, it is they who become disconcerted and lose their striking power. The “Pravda,” pointing out that Germany’s sudden attack placed Red Army units on the frontier in a complicated and grave position, says some were encircled, but the greater part succeeded in marching out of the encirclement as strong, united and victorious units, an example, of which is the force commanded by Major-Gen-eral Galitsky, one of the first to receive the blow of the Nazi tank columns. The force not only repelled the attack but destroyed 265 tanks by artillery fire. The men marched for days and nights across forests and swamps, destroying German supply columns and creating panic by attacking enemy units in the rear. MajorGeneral Galitsky managed to bring two-thirds of his effectives out of the encirclement, and inflicted losses much higher than his own.-