SECOND FRONT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 October 1942, Page 4

SECOND FRONT

SOVIET LEADERS AWARE OF FACTS BUT NOT RUSSIAN PEOPLE. STATEMENT BY AMERICAN OFFICIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 28. The newspaper “P.'M’s” military commentator says M. Stalin and Soviet officials have always realised that Britain and the United States were not committed to the opening of a second front in Continental Europe in 1942, but they have not corrected an impression widely held by the Russian people that the Allied leaders had made such a promise. A high-ranking official in Washington, in a position to know the feelings and temper of the Russian people, made this explanation and cleared up most of the confusion and misunderstanding with a lucid picture of what the Russian people want. First and foremost they want a second front in Europe. Even a smashing success in Egypt will not be enough, unless it leads to a continental invasion, possibly via Italy. M. Stalin accepted Mr Churchill’s explanation of why a second front at present is impossible, but most of the Russian people believe that inaction is due to British errors in overestimating German strength in France and the Low Countries, the Washington official declared. Mr Churchill’s visit to Russia had considerably lessened British-Russian tension. The most encouraging note in the statement by this important figure is a declaration of confidence that the Russian people will continue to resist the Nazi invaders, that Stalingrad will be held through the winter and that the Germans will not capture either Grozny or the Baku oilfields.