SUPREME EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1943, Page 3

SUPREME EFFORT

BEING MADE BY GERMANS AT KHARKOV ISSUE IN THE BALANCE. MOSCOW REPORTS FIGHTING ON OUTSKIRTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 12. The Germans are making r. supreme effort to recapture Kharkov, where they are throwing in strong masses of infantry and tanks heavily supported by the Luftwaffe. The issue ,ic still in the balance. Today’s Moscow communique announced that strong enemy attacks west of the. city succeeded in pressing back the defenders, but at heavy cost, and that fighting was now l taking place on the outskirts of the city. ( Viazma had been occupied by the Germans since October, 1941, and had been turned into one of their chief bastions on the central front. It is not a great industrial city like Kharkov, the population before the German occupation being 25,000, but it is of great importance as a railway junction. The Germans say they evacuated the town-according to plan as part of their move for shortening their front, and that all important military installations were blown uji;’ The fall of Viazma is not expected to lead to a direct drive on Smolensk. A thaw has set in on this front, causing communications to be hampered by thick mud. The gravity of the situation at Kharkov is 'admitted. The Germans are throwing in wave after wave of bombers against Soviet reinforcements moving up to the front. One Moscow correspondent comments that j the situation js one of those movements in a gigantic b'attle when the whole issue in the campaign turns on ‘a matter of hours.' NEED OF SPEEDY AID BY THE WESTERN ALLIES. EMPHASISED IN LONDON. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 11. Some observers in London are again emphasising that now is tho time for the Allies to strike in Western Europe, pointing out that Germany has withdrawn her major forces from the west to achieve her successes in the Russian Donetz Basin. The “Daily Express” says: “Hitler has made a gamble of weakening his European forces in a desperate effort to stop the Nazi rot in southern Russia. Russia must show great speed if she is to recover and consolidate her gains before the Germans can think of a spring offensive, but the allies of Russia must show even greater speed. The plans of the Casablanca conference were laid for nine fighting months—two of those months have already passed.” DISMAY IN ITALY OVER LOSSES IN RUSSIA TOTAL OF NEARLY 100,000 MEN. FORTY THOUSAND MISSING. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, March 11. M According to official figures published in the Italian Army has lost nearly 100,men in Russia in dead, wounded and 40,000 of whom are missing. Reuter’s Zurich correspondent says Italian soldiers from Russia disclosed that the withdrawal was only effected after Mussolini’s vigorous insistence. The Germans at first categorically refused to let the Italians go, and then refused any co-operation in transporting the Italians home. Official publication of the casualty list of 100,000 which was already known to the public, caused such consternation that Mus-

solini had no alternative but to stop the massacre. The Italian public was carefully prepared for heavy casualties. The authorities are now trying to counteract public reaction by paying the relatives of the dead and missing a full year’s pay.