Show Behind the War News Major Maior Eliot B By Major George Fielding Eliot The The he German radio which has for two weel weeks s been screaming frantically about the imminent peril to Berlin and providing the thc more sensational American press with some startling banner banner banner ban ban- ner headlines is now taking a anew anew anew new tack Shifting its attention attention attention atten atten- tion to the southeast it is tremendously tremendously tremendously tre tre- tre- tre excited about the deep Russian drive across theOder the theOder Oder between Glogau and andi andes andes- res- res lau It talks about a Russian threat to Dresden Thus Thu's the Germans keep trying trying trying try try- ing to commit the Russians to objectives and intentions which are certainly beyond the immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate probabilities of the situation situation situation sit sit- in the hope that the American and British public will get their hopes too high and will wUl then suffer a fresh wave of disappointment when their expectations are not immediately immediate immediate- ly y met Thus the Germans hope to stir up mutual distrust and uncertainty among the peoples of the allied nations The Germans know very well that statesmen and governments gov come and go they know that what they really have to fear for the future is sound basic confidence confidence confidence con con- and cooperation among the peoples of the United States Britain Russia France and the theother theother theother other allied nations The Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans fear above all else a permanently permanently permanently per per- organized world community community community com com- in n which law breaking can no longer be profitable because because because be be- cause the Ule whole community is organized to restrain it it The Germans do not want to live as peaceable members of such a community they want to rule as lords with the rest of mankind as their slaves And they know full well that the only sort of organized peace that can last will be a peoples peoples' peoples peace peace one one on which the common man and woman throughout the rest of the world Is thoroughly sold sold sold- as being essential to the well- well being and safety of all and the hope of the future and of the children who shall inherit that future Therefore the Germans know that the more moro false hopes they can stir up the more disappointments disappointments disappointments disappoint disappoint- ments they can bring about the greater the swings they can produce produce produce pro pro- duce between optimism and pessimism pessimism pessimism pes pes- over the end of the war the greater the general confusion confusion confusion sion of or mind will be and the greater the lingering effects and perhaps future recriminations as between ally and ally The part of prudence therefore therefore there there- fore will be for Americans to discount news from German sources or from neutral sources possibly inspired by German suggestions as to the progress of the Russian armies Instead we might well keep in mind certain certain certain tain basic elements clements of the military military military mili mili- tary situation along the Russian front 1 The Russians outnumber the Germans on an over-all over basis about 2 21 24 to 1 in trained fighting men The total number of German divisions now available available available avail avail- able north of the exclusive of those trapped in Latvia and East Prussia is about including recent transfers from the western front The Russians have about divisions divisions divisions divi divi- in this area Russian divisions divisions divisions divi divi- average about third one-third stronger than German divisions possibly more 2 Therefore It is to be expected expected expected ex ex- ex- ex that the Russians will make progress in their offensive against a much weaker nent But It should be remembered remembered remembered that a great part of the Russian strength must be held in reserve the Russians cannot use all their troops at once because because because be be- cause they cannot supply such numbers over the insufficient railways s 's and bad roads of Po Po- land The Germans are arc playing for time They are arc making every sacrifice not for ultimate vic vic- victory tor tory which tory which they can hardly expect ex ex- but but just to gain a few more days or weeks Their one hope Is centered on divisions among the allies time may bring such divisions about Note carefully the German tactics of obstruction the obstruction the desperate desperate desperate des des- clinging to traffic cen- cen deep in the Russian zone of advance Consider the desperate block by block defense of Buda Buda- pest The German high command command command com com- mand has a plan of that we may be sure It is not a plan for a victory in the east east no no chance chanco of that But it is certainly certainly certainly a plan to bring about a adelay adelay adelay delay of any decision in the east cast and it is probably a plan by which they hope to capitalize once more on American and British just as they did in the Ardennes battle which cost us so heavily In lives and material Let us not be led in into to this German trap again Let us realize that our brave Russian allies are careful thorough steady-going steady soldiers who know their business and have proven it at German expense these past three years They know perfectly perfect perfect- ly well that some desperate German German German Ger Ger- man reaction may have to be dealt with and they will deal with it if it comes Meanwhile it will be time enough to talk about the imminent fall of Berlin Berlin Berlin Ber Ber- lin and a Russian drive on Dresden Dresden Dresden Dres Dres- den when the Russians inform us of these events |