VERY BELATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1943, Page 4

VERY BELATED

-ADMISSION BY GERMANY 1 ENCIRCLEMENT OF ARMY AT STALINGRAD. LABOURED EXPLANATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 18. The Germans at last have been informed of the plight of their troops trapped before Stalingrad. The disclosure was made in a broadcast by General Dietmar, who said the Germans so far had learned only of Velikiye Luki as an isolated keypoint, but the Sixth Army at Stalingrad was in the same position. Russian superiority in numbers and material was their trump card which would doubtless be used ruthlessly. “Equilibrium in strength on the Eastern front at present can be achieved only locally, necessitating the Germans stripping decisive sectors, which is very risky although unavoidable,” General Dietmar observed. “German strategy depends on leadership and on troops holding out at isolated points. What the heroic defence of the keypoint of Stalingrad, cut off from all important lines of communication, involves for the total situation will only be appreciated later. The task of keypoints is to pin down large forces and gain time for other operations. The German principle of defence consists of the co-operation of encircled troops with others outside, increasing the difficulties of enemy penetration and inflicting heavy losses, thus balancing forces and enabling' a welltrained army to resume the offensive.'*