July 9.
While it cannot be said that the German invasion of Russia has been halted, there 1s every reason -to believe the claim advanced a day or so ago that it was being slowed down is correct. It was to be expected that in the area between the Stalin line and the Russo-German border in Poland progress by the strong German mechanized forces would be at first rapid, That was also to be expected in the small Baltic republics. The Germans now claim to have pierced the Stalin line in several places, but the rate of progress along the greater part of the line suggests that, if indeed they have, they have not penetrated very far, nor have they up to the present been able to turn any important position. The impression which is gained is that the Russian war machine, which because of its enormous size cannot but be expected to come into full action somewhat slowly, and that especially considering: the poorness of Russian communications, is now Teaching its full capacity for action, and is putting up a resistance to the German advance the effectiveness of which even the Germans themselves admit.
In a report from Berlin the threadbare old story is repeated to the effect that with the beginning of a new tremendous battle on a broad front the German high command may bbe expected to start a period of extreme reticence in an effort to keep the Soviet high command in the dark regarding the progress of operations. Tt may be the German view that a new battle is developing, but it is definitely the opinion of the Russians that the first one which commenced with the invasion has not yet been completed and will not be until the Russians have had an opportunity of counter-attacking in force. If the Russians eventually succeed in bringing the German progress to a complete halt—and there is some reason to believe that they may be able to do it—the German plans! which have already been delayed may be very seriously frustrated. That would indeed be a Russian success.
'M, Lozovsky, Vice-Commiséar for Foreign Affairs, expressed the intention of the Russian Government to give the Germans breathing space. This the Russians, because of their superiority in numbers, should well be able to do. While the Germans have been throwing reserves into the fighting the position' of their troops appears to be that they have to be continually going forward no matter how slow the pace may be, it may easily be concluded that the German soldiers without relief are undergoing an ordeal somewhat similar to that experienced by the British and Greek troops in Crete where the inability to secure rest played an important part-in the ultimate fate of that island, Neutral correspondents dealing with the Russian army tell a different tale to that which the German propagandists put about. According o the former the Red Army is well equipped,.while the tanks they are now putting into action are reported to constitute 'a very considerable surprise. The Germans on the other hand seck to minimize the efficiency of the Red Army and its equipment, though, characteristically they con~ tradict themselves by referring to the stubborn defence which their opponents are offering them.
This brief survey of the situation in western Russia should give ground for be-lof that whatever Hitler may gain from his attack on the Soviet is being paid for most heavily. The claim that the Germans have had no fewer than 700,000 casualties does not seem unreasonable in view of the extent of the fighting and the huge numbers of men Involved. If, however, that figure is correct the successes which the Germans have obtained up to the present are indeed most expensive, for that figure represents about one quarter of the men said.to have been flung against: the Russians. There must always be some doubt as to the correctness of such claims, particularly by the force which is in process of withdrawal, for obviously..they have little opportunity of surveying the field of battle and estimating casualties. But German admissions of the severity of the fighting caused by the determined Russian resistance justify the belief that their casualties are heavy, and perhaps heavier than the gains up to the present
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.