Show Behind the War News Major Maior Eliot Says j By MAJOR GEORGE FIELDING ELIOT The development of a second Russian counteroffensive offensive on the Stalingrad front this time south of the beleaguered city is a hopeful sign The troops delivering this blow were probably probably probably ably ferried across the Volga Voga by night The Russians appear to be using the Astrakhan railway railway railway rail rail- way which parallels the Volga some miles to the eastward asa asa as asa a line of reinforcement and supply supply supply sup sup- ply for Stalingrad The Russian counteroffensive northwest of Stalingrad is still i however the most important Russian It Is supported supported supported sup sup- ported partly by the river communications communications communications com com- of the Volga a and partly by the main Moscow- Moscow Stalingrad railway It is gaining gaining gaining gain gain- ing ground slowly in the gap between the Volga and the Donand Donand Don Donand and appears from line front-line accounts accounts accounts ac ac- ac- ac counts already to have imperiled imperiled imperiled imper imper- some of the German crossIngs crossings crossings cross- cross Ings of the Don on which their communications in part demand It seems likely that the en crisis crisis cri cri- sis of the struggle for Stalingrad Stalingrad Stalingrad Stalin Stalin- grad that final phase of the battle which has been announced announced an an- announced every day for the past month by the axis radio may now be actually at hand From the strategic point of view the gap between the Volga Volga Volga Vol Vol- ga and the Don into which Marshal Marshal Marshal Mar Mar- armies are driving is an area of unusual importance There seems no doubt that the immediate German German German Ger Ger- man military purpose is to establish establish establish es es- es- es their along the line of these two rivers from the vicinity of and Orel down to the Caspian keeping the old line roughly in its present present present pres pres- ent position from Leningrad to This would give the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans a somewhat longer line for the winter of 43 1942 than they had last winter but the additional length would be made up for by the fact that the southeastern half of the line would have a river obstacle along the greater part of its front As previously pointed out put in these articles a river line is not a defense in itself but when used as a part of a properly organized defensive system it does enable the defenders to enjoy great economies in men and material In other words a front which includes an ait un- un fordable river as an obstacle can be defended with fewer troops and fewer fortifications than a front not so fortunately located This is extremely important to the Germans during the coming coming coming com com- ing winter for they not only desire to detach troops to meet meeta a possible Anglo-American Anglo attack attack attack at at- tack in western Europe but they also would like to make as many men available as possible possible possible pos pos- sible for work in their war in industries industries industries in- in to build up their munitions munitions munitions muni muni- against the trials that will come with the spring The gap between the Don and the Volga Voga at Stalingrad is the only open gateway in this river line which the Germans hope to hold and this is the principal though not the only reason which both they and the Russians Russians Rus Rus- Russians attach to that city If the Germans cannot take Stalingrad Stalingrad Stalingrad Stalin Stalin- grad they cannot attain the defensive defensive defensive de de- de- de position for the winter which would be most advantageous advantageous advantageous to them and they may have to retire to a much shorter short short- er line and one which would not permit them to hold any great part of f the North Caucasian area We should therefore watch with the most acute interest the progress of the Russian counterattack driving slowly in into into into in- in to this gap It is necessary to point out that so far in this war Russian counterattacks against organized German positions positions positions have not been particularly successful Whenever the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans have had time even a lit lit- litI I tle tie time to dig in they h hi usually been able to hold i q reason for this is probably t i t Russian shortage of the mec Kcal leal means necessary for off sive operations especially tat tar and artillery on self propel mounts The Russian strategy has b be bi excellent throughout the v but it has frequently lac the tactical means for exec ing its purpose There is he ho hoever ever also to be noted the si al swing of the pendulum town tow the defensive In the of the war during the Germ attacks on Poland and Fran their new offensive weapons a tactics carried everything befi them but as always happe mens men's minds turn toward devising defenses agate agal the new forms of attack iThe n i The old equilibrium attack and defense is sl slop sov n returning Upon this fact t Germans have been and it seems likely that appreciation of the powers of the defense lies lies' hind the speech which nit Hil made Wednesday s The major task of the U nations in the further prose pros e tion of this war is indeed determine the methods by wh the German defenses may mayl overcome The year 1943 1913 will one in which we shall be g ge on the offensive and t tl tI- offensive however perfectly may be designed from the po pc poof poof of view of strategy will h hits lu its final success determined I the battlefield in with the excellence of the tai tae cal methods by which our sty sti egy will be implemented |