German Infantrymen Storming Outer Defenses of Moscow

[Globalization41]

Berlin, By Telephone to The New York
Times, Thursday, October 16, 1941: German
infantry and engineers, moving under a veil of
intense artillery and air bombardments, today
began storming the outermost defenses of
Moscow, 60 miles west of the Kremlin walls
on a direct line, according to information
available in Berlin. ... The opening of the
"Battle for Moscow" was announced from
Reichsfuehrer Hitler's field headquarters, and
later reports indicated that the violence of this
German attack would exceed that of all other
single operations thus far. ... It was learned
that part of the German air force, which had
been active over Leningrad, had been diverted
to the central front to augment the strong
forces already there. ... Today's High
Command communique announced that the
pincer-like German thrusts had occupied
Kalinin, northwest of Moscow, and Kaluga,
southwest of the capital, several days ago. ...
The impression in Berlin grows -- in fact, it is
emphasized in official as well as informed
quarters -- that whatever the outcome of the
battle for Moscow, Soviet resistance will not
entirely collapse. ... Moreover, that a price is
being paid for the present German advance is
indicated by an eyewitness story from an
unspecified sector of the front, issued to the
press today, asserting that after a night of
fighting "the sun rose over the battlefield
covered with the blood of German
infantrymen."

Berlin, Associated Press, The New York
Times, Thursday, October 16, 1941: [Excerpts
of communiques issued at Hitler's headquarters
follow.] As announced in a special
communique, the double battle of Bryansk and
Vyazma is nearing a conclusion. In the course
of yesterday forces encircled north of Bryansk
were crushed, with the heaviest of losses for
the foe. Mopping up in the forest region south
of Bryansk of the remnants of encircled and
defeated armies is still under way. ... The
bulk of the German forces which participated
in these tremendous break-through and
encirclement battles is already free to continue
operations. Up to date 560,000 prisoners have
been taken and 888 tanks and 4,133 cannon are
reported captured or destroyed. ... ... In the
afternoon hours a march into Odessa took
place. The population received the Rumanian
and German troops enthusiastically.

Berlin, Associated Press, The New York
Times, Thur., October 16, 1941: A Rumanian
Army communique, issued in Bucharest, said:
Our troops penetrated the defense lines of
Odessa. The enemy is retreating. Our
offensive continues. Odessa is ablaze.

Tokyo, Associated Press, The New York
Times, Thursday, October 16, 1941: The
Foreign Office announced today that the staff
of the Japanese Embassy in Moscow and other
Japanese totaling 24 persons, had left for an
undisclosed location. Late editions of all
Japanese-language newspapers published
prominently the news of the departure.

Stockholm, Sweden, By Telephone to The
New York Times, Thursday, October 16, 1941:
It was learned in the Swedish Foreign Office
today that the Swedish Minister to Moscow,
Vilhelm Assarsson, accompanied by his
military attache and an attache of the Swedish
Legation left the Russian capital last night.
This correspondent also learned from a reliable
source that as late as 7 P.M. yesterday the
U.S. Ambassador was still in Moscow. ... ...
London, Special Cable to The New York
Times, Thursday, October 16, 1941: The
British tonight had to adjust themselves to the
fact that the Russian Government seems to
have left Moscow and that the Soviet capital
must be defended street by street.

London, United Press, The New York Times,
Friday, Fri., October 17, 1941: [Late Thursday
U.S. time] Foreign diplomats and part of the
Soviet Government have evacuated Moscow,
leaving Premier Stalin and other leaders behind
to direct the defenses of the seat of world
communism, it was reported today. There was
no indication that Mr. Stalin would declare
Moscow an "open city".

Berne, Switzerland, By Telephone to The
New York Times, Friday, October 17, 1941:
[Late Thursday, U.S. time] A partly confirmed
report here today said that the diplomatic corps
had evacuated Moscow, moving to an
unidentified town some 600 miles east of the
Soviet capital. ... Only a few bits of
information seeped through an implacable
censorship once more imposed after an
illuminating letup for a few hours yesterday
morning. A scarcity of news dispatches from
the capital for the last three days was believed
to indicate that all but the most essential staffs
had left the city or were about to leave. ...
Last evening only two of Moscow's 16 radio
transmitters were on the air and one of these
maintained only a carrier signal from 9:50
P.M. until well after midnight.

Berne, Switzerland, By Telephone to The
New York Times, Friday, October 17, 1941:
[Late Thursday, U.S. time] "Fighting continued
along the entire front but particularly heavily in
the sectors west of the capital; during the fight
in this direction very heavy losses have been
suffered on both sides." In these words the
Russian communique of last midnight summed
up the situation on the Eastern Front as the
battle of Moscow entered its "decisive stage."
... Two changes of some importance, however,
were admitted in late bulletins just before
midnight. The Germans had reached the town
of Korcheva on the Volga river northeast of
Kalinin, and the area of Kaluga, to the
southwest of the capital, was being pounded by
German artillery. Korcheva is roughly 70
miles northwestward of Moscow, while Kaluga
is about 100 miles southwest of the Soviet
capital. ... The fighting was not all going the
Germans' way, and even Berlin spokesmen
were forced to admit that Russian resistance
was increasing as thousands of fresh
reinforcements to Marshal Semyon
Timoshenko's battle-weary armies were being
rushed from the capital itself to stem the flood
of German reserves being poured in,
irrespective of cost. ... In some sectors the
fields were described as a shambles of blasted
guns, tanks, and bodies, over which both sides
see-saw back and forth as Russians come out of
their positions to throw the enemy back and in
their turn are driven back to cover as counter-
attack follows counter-attack. ... Korcheva fell
early Wednesday to a German push eastward
from Kalinin. Driving through a solid wall of
fire laid down by Russian artillery defenses of
the Moscow circle, German infantry finally
succeeded in breaking through and, after four
hours of hand-to-hand fighting, cleaned out
some machine-gun nests to seize the town.
Russian counter-attacks across the wide Volga
moors later made some headway at first, but
finally the Russians were forced to withdraw to
the southern banks. There they held as other
German troops slithered their way slowly still
further eastward through swamps thinly frozen
toward the edges. ... On the south [of the
Moscow front] at Kaluga, to which the
Germans have battered their way, Russian
artillery has been pounding the German lines
since noon yesterday. Violent armed patrols
now seem to be the rule in this sector as
machine guns clean up units that get through
under the constant rain of shells.

[Stay tuned for late breaking war bulletins.
... Globalization41.]