Pacific News-Review

Notes And Comment On

The Progress Of The War

From Jan. 16 To Feb. 12

Jan. 16: The Russians, developing their great winter offensive, have broken through the main German defence lines on the lower Don.

Jan. 16; Australian troops have made a surprise attack on enemy bases at Mubo, near Salamaua, and killed 116 Japs. There is intense air-activity over the Lae-Salamaua area, Jan. 16; It is now hoped that an agree ment will be reached between General Giraud (French High Commissioner in North Africa) and General de Gaulle (leader of the Fighting French).

Jan. 18: Russia claims that only 70,000 or 80,000 of the original 330,000 of the German’s Stalingrad •army remain, and that the destruction of these also is imminent.

Jan. 18: Rommel’s army in western Libya has retreated further before a new large-scale offensive launched by the British Eighth Army, Jan. 18: The RAF heavily bombed Ber lin, and much damage is reported in the centre of the city.

Jan. 19: The German Luftwaffe car ried out a reprisal raid on London within 24 hours of the RAF bombing of Berlin.

But the RAF again bombed Berlin last night.

Jan. 20: After 16 months of siege, Len ingrad has been relieved. The Russian armies made a pincer-like movement on a vast scale eastward of the city and brought about the collapse of German fortifications, miles in depth. There is great rejoicing throughout Russia.

Jan. 20: In north-east Papua, Sana nanda Point and village have been taken from the Japanese by the Australians.

Jan. 21; It is expected that Tripoli, in western Libya, the capital of Italy’s last overseas possession, will fall soon to the British Eighth Army, which is relentlessly pursuing Rommel’s retreating Germans.

The Germans are leaving Tripoli. Huge fires are raging in the dock area of the city.

Jan. 22: The Government of Chile has broken off relations with Germany and Italy.

Jan. 23: The British Eighth Army has entered Tripoli and the retreating Axis forces are now crossing the border in the hope of joining up with the German armies in Tunisia.

Jan. 24; A special communique from General MacArthur’s headquqarters states that land fighting has ceased in Papua.

The Australians and Americans have overcome the last Japanese strongposts around Buna.

Jan. 25: There was much air-activity over the Mandated Territory during the week-end. Fighting has moved north and the communiques now contain daily reference to combats over Madang and Wewak.

Jan. 26; The Nazis have abandoned the Voronej bridgehead, while the Red armies in the Caucasian region are now sweep ing westward. German resistance every where is weaker.

Jan. 26: General Mac Arthur has out lined Pacific strategy, and stated that the chief military lesson learned in Papua was the successful application of air power in conjunction with ground troops.

J an - 27; M. Stalin has announced that the Red Armies have routed 102 German divisions, after an offensive extending over two months.

Jan. 27: In a broadcast to the people of Australia, Britain and America last night, the Prime Minister of Australia protested against a “holding war’’ in the Pacific and made a plea for quick action.

Jan. 28: It was dramatically announced yesterday that President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, with their principal service chiefs, concluded a ten days’ conference at Casablanca (North Africa), when United Nations strategy for the final overthrow of the Axis was planned. It was announced that no peace plan based on anything short of com plete surrender by the Nazis would be considered.

Jan. 30: The Russians, continuing their winter offensive on a vast scale, have made substantial new gains on the Voronej front.

Jan. 30: Japanese pressure against Wau has been developing since last Wed nesday. To-day a determined assault by strong enemy forces on the Allied held Wau aerodrome, was repulsed. The situation is reported to be “in hand.’’

Feb. 2: It is now officially announced that the German Sixth Army of over 300,000 troops was wiped out in the Sta lingrad trap. Almost a score of Axis gen erals have been captured, including the Commander of the German Sixth Army, Field-Marshal Paulus. This is one of the greatest defeats ever suffered by Ger many.

Feb. 2: The Japanese have retreated in the Wau area (New Guinea) leaving -300 dead behind.

Feb. 3: It is officially announced that Mr. Churchill visited Turkey during the week-end, and there reached an agree ment with Turkish representatives as to the way in which Britain and the United States could best aid Turkey in consoli dating her defences.

All commentators agree that the most probable Axis counter-move to the Allied occupation of North Africa is a drive through Turkey. The Turkish Army would resist this, but it has been greatly handicapped by lack of modern equip ment. The fact that many important service chiefs accompanied Mr. Church ill to Turkey indicates not only that Tur key is to receive war supplies from the Allies, but also that her plans of defence will be co-ordinated with British and American forces in the Mediterranean area.

Reb. 3: The Russians, surging forward along most of their vast front, are driv ing back the Germans at many points— but especially in the region from west wards of Moscow to the Black Sea. The increasing momentum of their drives is opening up immense possibilities of Ger man disaster. They now are only 30 miles from Rostoff (at mouth of Don, on Black Sea).

The three great German supply bases pf Kursk. Kharkoff and Rostoff now are m gravest danger. If they fall, the Ger mans will have lost the immense defen sive line upon which they stood in the winter of 1941-42. Nonetheless, if they go back to the line of the Dneiper River, they still will be 250 miles inside Russia: and the thaw will end Russia’s winter campaigning weather by the end of Feb ruary.

Feb. 4; Washington announces spora dic naval and air engagements between US and Japanese forces in the Solomons.

Feb. 5: The Russian Army breached the main German winter line south-west of Moscow, and Kursk and Orel, Nazi bases,

are in danger of encirclement.

Feb. 5: There is patrol activity in the Wau district, TNG. Australian raiding parties have killed many Japanese.

Opposing forces are in contact about two miles east of Wau airfield.

Feb. 6: US Navy Headquarters are still silent on the sea-air battle claimed by Tokio to have taken place in Solomons waters. The Japs claim they destroyed three American battleships and four cruisers.

Feb. 6: The Nazi army in the Caucasus now is cut off; while other advancing Russian armies threaten to encircle the German armies still clinging to the rich industrial districts of the Donetz Basin.

Feb, 6: During an aerial attack on Wau aerodrome by Japanese to-day, 26 Japan ese planes were shot down and 15 seri ously damaged, without the loss of a single Allied machine.

Feb. 8: The Russians now are reported to be on the outskirts of Rostoff.

Feb. 9: In North Africa (Tunisia) Rommel’s panzer divisions, having reached battle positions, have been re equipped and are expected to try to hold the Mareth Line (East Tunisia, near Libya) so as to prevent the British Eighth Army from making contact with the American and French armies in Central and West Tunisia, and the British First Army. The Allies from West Tunisia, trying to thrust eastwards in Central Tunisia, have suffered reverses. The weather in Tunisia is bad and unsuitable for campaigning, and will remain so for another month.

Feb. 10; Washington announces that Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal has ceased, and indications are that the Japs are evacuating the Solomons. The Jap anese say that, their mission accom plished and objective gained, they have withdrawn from Guadalcanal and north east Papua.

Feb. 10: The Russians have captured the great German base and pivotal point of Kursk, and still are advancing all along their front.

Feb. 11: The Russian forces now are simultaneously menacing Kharkov, Ros toff, Voroshilovgrad, Orel, Bryansk, and Krasnodar-all important German bases.

Feb. 12; The latest Russian successes underline the Berlin admission that the whole German front in south Russia is in grave danger. Along the great battle line from Orel to the western Caucasus there is not a single major German posi tion against which determined Russian forces are not pressing from front, flanks, or rear—or simultaneously from three or four sides. The so-called German win ter defence line of 1942, from Orel to Rostoff, is disintegrating. The big Ger man base at Kharkov is now in the gravest peril.

Salute Tubou, DBF, Queen of Tonga, has been created, by the King of Eng land, an Associate Dame of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. George VI is Sovereign Head of this Order.

The following have been appointed members of the Fair Rents Board for the district of Lautoka, Fiji;—The District Officer, Lautoka (Chairman), Mr. D. P.

Ragg, Mr. B. D. Lakshman.