1941-08-20 — Page 35

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 20, 1941.

Page

AIR VIEW OF RUSSIAN WAR

Remarkably

GERMAN PROTEST TO IRAN

REFERRING TO THE GER- MAN PROTEST TO THE IRAN- IAN GOVERNMENT THAT IF "GERMAN CITIZENS ARE EX- PELLED," DIPLOMATIC RELA- TIONS; WOULD BE SEVERED THE "BOMBAY CHRONICLE" SAYS IT IS THESE "CITIZENS" WHO ARE THE SOURCE

TROUBLE.

Unless German

tourists

OF

Few Indications Loose Fighting Over Vast Front

DESPITE THE MILLIONS OF MEN- INVOLVED IT IS RE- MARKABLE HOW FEW SIGNS OF FIGHTING ARE-VISIBLE FROM THE AIR EXCEPT AT ISOLATED-POINTS, WRITES THE BERLIN CORRESPONDENT, OF THE ZURICH NEWSPAPER “NEUE ZUER- CHER ZEITUNG," DESCRIBING A FLIGHT TO SMOLENSK.

NOTES TO IRAN-

further

There has been and Turkish press

no comment on the

mechanics had not constituted a British and Russian Notes to Iran on the large numbers of Germans in Iran territory.

potential, and perhaps imminent, danger to Britain and Russia, the two countries would not have expressed their anxiety

Government has been kept fully

It is understood the Turkish to the informed of developments, by the Iranian Government In terms British and Soviet Ambassadors. savouring of a threat.

Reuter.

Reuter.

DESPERATE CLASH CONTINUES IN TWO SECTORS

DESPERATE FIGHTING is proceeding in two sectors of the eastern front, in the north near Narva and in the south in the Ukraine, writes Annalist“ in London commenting on the German-Soviet military situationą.

This is apparently due to the loose nature of the fighting over a vastlý extended front thousands of kilometres long and hundreds of kilometres deep.

Many villages are completely destroyed yet others outside the zone of fighting are un- touched.

The new German thrust in the

The double battle of Bialystok- Minsk left very small visible north is certainly in the nature of traces as war material the Rus- a sians allegedly left behind

threat to

Leningrad but the was Nazi troops may sti 1 be regarded "probably either already largely as a long way off-British Wire- removed or largely hidden

forests."

In less.

The correspondent Saw few traces of Soviet fortifications.

"THE RUSSIANS INTENTION- ALLY BASED THEIR DEFENCE ON THE FIRE OF AUTOMATIC WEAPONS DISPOSED IN GREAT DEPTH, HIDDEN SNIPERS AND WELL-AIMED ARTILLERY EQUIPPED WITH MANY HEAVY GUNS.

"The Red Army also probably regarded tank and infantry coun- ter-attack as one of the chief

methods of defence."

Smolensk Havoc

Simple

Issue

Discounting the sugges- tion that his projected mission to London would

IS

DARLAN'S

NEGOTIATIONS WITH NAZIS

Premier, Admiral The Deputy French

Darlan, yesterday re- turned to Vichy fromTM Paris where he had- o series of conversa- tions with the occupa- tion authorities, says a Vichy despatch to the German official news agency.---Réu-

ter.

HURRICANE DISPLAY

THE FIRST HURRICANE. FIGHTER SEEN IN AUSTRALIA GIVING EXHIBITION FLIGHTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

The machine is a gift from the British Government, and was promised by the Air Minister, Sir Archibald Sinclair, to Premier Menzies during the latter's visit to England.-Reuter..

FOR CANADA

Where destruction was visible,

be treated as a major DUKE OF WINDSOR terrible. tor instance at Smolensk, it is political issue, the Aus- Where villages were not tralian Prime Minister; destroyed the Germans ordered collective farms to continue har- Mr. R. G. Menzies, told

In other parts harvesting is in Sydney yesterday:

his daily press conference Impossible ad the returning population find towns and farma burnt-out,

The Germans have apparently been as-vesting. sembling their resources for another big thrust towards Leningrad and like all offen- sives launched with weight and intensity it has met with some initial success.

The Russians admit they have} fallen back from Kingisepp bu there is no indication

breach in their line..

of any

The Russians have shown as tonishing skill in evading being cornered In position from which there is no issue. Their defences increase in num- They have. practised, an elastic ber and strength the nearer the defence in most subtle form and front approaches to Leningrad, and have given. ground in exchange | if the defence yields a little for infliction of heavy losses.——— ground under the pressure of numbers, the toll taken in casual- ties is probably so high that even the Germans must eventually find the price higher than they afford.

can

Soviet Communique

The following is the text of the Soviet midnight communique issu- ed by the Soviet Information Bureau:-

Following the Nassau announce- ment that the Duke and Duchess. of Windsor are preparing to go to the Duke's ranch at Calgary, next month, the U.S. Secretary

cannot replace lost! "There will hot necessarily be agricultural implements and so a vote in Parliament on the pro- of State, Mr. Cordell Hull yes face starvation,

posal.

I think the matter will terday said he learned from the In order to tackle the

supply probably

be decided by party British Ambassador that the Duke problem the Germans have shown meetings before Parliament meets, and Duchess were planning a astonishing speed in converting

"If the proposal, is rejected I visit to Washington He did not one track and double track/-rail-

stay here - that is all." Reu-know any details, he added: ways to normal-gauge,

Reuter. Alternatively, they use motor transport and transport 'planes. ·

Billeting Problem -

The quartering of soldiers pre- Many sents a harder problem. German soldiers

say they have been sleeping in tents for weeks. With the possible start of cool It is probable that a similar

weather in the northern and cen- offencive is being prepared ^

tral sectors of the front in Sep- "During August-19 our troops tember, the Germans will have Smolensk and Kiev as it would waged battle against the enemy the task of providing quarters for be consistent with German tra- along the entire front, especial y whole armies in continually more ditions to exercise, the maximustubbornly in the Kingisepp, Nov- advanced front sectors. pressure on all points at the gorod, Gomeland Odessa ditec- "WITH THE CONTINUING

tions.

PENETRATION INTO, RUSSIA, "According to information, now THE ADVANCING SEASON AND available, on August 17, in the A SOLUTION OF TECHNICAL In the Ukraine the Germans

course of air combats, 28 German | PROBLEMS, APART FROM AC- claim to have reached the lower.

'planes were brought down and TUAL FIGHTING, WILL MORE reaches of the Dnieper but Mar- not 22 as previously reported. AND MORE DETERMINE THE shal Budenny's rear-guard

"In the night of August 17/18 OUTLOOK OF THE WAR - putting up stiff resistance, on the fliers observed large fires and ex-

our 'planes bombed Ploesti, Our REUTER. east of the river further north in the bend, and at no place has a

plosions.. crossing been forced,

same time.

Stiff Resistance :

?

are.

It is significant that the Ger- mang-make no big glaims as to captured. prisoners and this would suggest that the main body_of Marshal Budenny's army is sull intact and will have to be reck- oned with even if the Germans ucceed in obtaining possession of the whole bend. →→

Remarkable Skill

question of Russian resis is largely a question of the ents at Marshal Buden-

""On : August 18 30 German planes were brought down in the course of air, combats. We lost 12 'planes.

"Insthe Black Sea our bombers fank two enemy transports and set fire to another transport.

JAPANESE PLANE SHOT DOWN

(SPECIAL, TO "OHINA MAIL")"

schaps shown remarkable, It is officially announced in skill in extricating his men from Chungking that, one of nine encirclement" and the German Japanese planes raiding, Chung- thrust must be losing vigour hsien, below, Wanhalen, in eustern with every mile of its progress. Szechuen, yesterday morning was It is clear however, that the shot down by AA, fire at an High Command is "all out" for a unnamed point?** decisive victory before, the wea ther breaks and puts an intoler able strain on their lines of com- munication,

Vitally Important

The German; thrust in the Ukraine, is vitally important, ao- cording to military expertsi London: Ash

The speed of the German. ad- vance, although high is such that no doubt our Russian ällies «are fighting well in the rear-guard action to the River Dnieper, The Germans have yet to reach the Dnieper in force and then cross the river

Advance beyond it depends on Rusajan ability to dispose of sufficient recources to defend the five or six bridges between “Klem and the son, to watch, tha river for Gorman efforts to cross and to keep-bodies of troops ready to attack any parties. which succeed.

A crossing in strength would be, exceedingly, serious, as valuable The plane, which crashed near stretches of Ukrainian count the border, burst into flames and would be open to them) the crew of seven parished. naturak line of defence until International News Service, | River Don is reached.

ter.

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