NO SIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1943, Page 3

NO SIGN

OF EFFECTIVE GERMAN STAND AGAINST SMASHING RUSSIAN ATTACKS. HUGE AXIS LOSSES OF MEN & MATERIAL. (By Telegraph—Piress Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 15. With the Russians everywhere, exploiting the initiative and the German defences spreadeagled till the strongest buttresses are fallen or tottering, the momentous question arises where and when the German High Command will be able to stop the rot. The Germans admit a retreat to new defences, but a strong line does not exist east of the Dnieper. That river possesses a huge bend which will give the Russians an opportunity for outflanking the German sailent, as has already, been achieved on the Don and the Donetz. Military commentators are already doubtful whether, if the Russian thrusts continue on the same scale and speed—of which there are no signs of diminution—the Germans can rally even on the Dnieper. Moscow correspondents emphasise the huge German losses of troops, which are likely to increase' by scores of thousands in the Donetz and elsewhere, and the even more dangerous losses of equipment, which have reached a colossal scale and may prevent their standing on a line hundreds of miles long. In addition, says the British United Press, there is bitter disillusionment in the German army, which, within three months, has crashed from dominating the campaign to humiliation and is being driven within a few hours from strongholds it had months to prepare and which were regarded as permanently German. The Wehrmacht has lost many thousands of the best and most experienced troops, whom it is impossible to replace. It is regarded as significant that numerous German local counter-attacks, in spite of the support of tanks, have failed to hold the Russians in any sector. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that the Germans’ apparent collapse is due to continual weakening of their lines in order to build up defences in the rear. The Russians may yet encounter fully-organised resistance which will test them to the utmost. The Germans

may also be preparing a strategic coun-ter-attack, aimed at turning the tables against the Russians when the situation is propitious.