Salt Lake Telegram | 1944-11-16 | Page 1 | Russians Sweep over Plains in East Hungary

Russians Sweep Over Plains In East Hungary MOSCOW Nov Iov 16 UP So UP-So- So Soviet viet armored columns rapidly closing closing dosing clos dos ing in on torn strife Budapest swept across the open plains in eastern Hungary with increasing speed Thursday following the capture capture cap cap- ture of enemy stronghold stronghold stronghold strong strong- hold 31 miles east cast of the capital The The- quickening drive by Marshal Marshal Marshal Mar Mar- Rodio Y Malinovsky's 2nd Ukrainian n army threatened to cu cut the last Jast direct route between the theene ene enemy y forces in Budapest and northeastern Hungary One soviet force torce struck within nine miles of a big rail rai and highway junction protecting the n northeastern approaches of th the capital while another column advanced advanced ad ad- to within a similar distance of the country's fifth city at the northern end of the Hungarian Hungarian Hun Hun- garian garlan front In the wide flanking drive around the eastern side of the capital three soviet columns were converging converging converging con con- verging on a five way railroad and way three-way highway junction 22 miles mUes northeast of the capital The triple thrust was being made mad along a line stretching from Hoal Heal mas nine miles dU due south of Hat Hat- van through to Tar Tar- 11 miles southwest of the communications center Capture of not only would cut the direct rail and highway highway highway high high- way routes from Budapest to northeastern Hungary but also endanger endanger endanger en en- danger the enemy forces in Czecho Czecho- Slovakia The Russians advanced to within four miles of the latter road in occupying southwest of In northeastern Hungary the Soviets continued their steady two- two way drive against capturing capturing capturing ing Harsany nine miles to the southwest and 18 miles to the southeast On the immediate eastern approaches approaches approaches ap ap- ap- ap to Budapest Malinovsky's Malinov Malinov- sky's forces were slowly tightening their line around round the capital anc and occupied the towns of Mende 11 miles to the cast east and 14 miles east northeast