THAW BEGINNING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 March 1942, Page 4

THAW BEGINNING

ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT

EARLY NAZI OFFENSIVE EXPECTED. EVERY RESOURCE LIKELY TO BE THROWN IN. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 26. With a thaw beginning on the Russian front, Germany is expected soon to take the offensive. Germany has everything to gain and everything to lose and will face the issue in a gambler’s spirit. Every resource is likely to be thrown in, regardless of cost. The Russians, however, despite the huge cost of their offensive since early December, are better prepared in every way for the German offensive than they were last June. The “Yorkshire Post’s” military writer says the Russians believe Hitler’s new army will not stand the strain of fighting as well as the first Nazi army. It is suggested that August may see the end of the German Army, adds the correspondent. Messages from Stockholm report that the Russians are launching mass infantry attacks on the Donetz front and that as a result of actions in the last fortnight on the Leningrad front, 17,000 Germans have been captured. Moscow reports that 56 German bombers raided Murmansk on Wednesday. Eleven were destroyed.