Spanish Division Arrives on Eastern Front

[Globalization41]

Gibraltar, Wireless to The New York Times,
Friday, August 15, 1941: A Seville report
states that Spain's Blue Division, under
General Augustin Munoz, has arrived on the
Eastern Front and is now formally incorporated
in the German Army.

Moscow, Wireless to The New York
Times, Saturday, August 16, 1941: [Late
Friday, U.S. time] Premier Joseph Stalin's
son, Lieutenant Jacob Djugashvili -- the
original Georgian name of the Soviet Chief of
State -- was cited in the army journal Red Star
today for heroism in commanding an artillery
battery in the battles around Vitebsk and
during the siege of Smolensk. Red Star said
Lieutenant Stalin "did not leave his post until
his battery had fired its last shell," and extolled
his efforts as an example of "genuine heroism
and fidelity to the fatherland." ... ... The New
York Times: Recent German reports claimed
the capture of Lieutenant Stalin.

Chungking, China, Wireless to The New
York Times, Friday, August 15, 1941: A
blanket of clouds over Chungking today put
an end to the worst series of Japanese air
raids in this city's wartime history. Before
today the Japanese had been bombing
Chungking almost around the clock since
Friday of last week. The raids yesterday by
more than 100 planes were among the
heaviest in the series. ... The Japanese
bombed Kunming for three consecutive days
this week. They also raided Sian and
Tungkuan.

Helsinki, Finland, Associated Press, The
New York Times, Friday, August 15, 1941:
The Finnish attack in the northern part of the
Karelian Isthmus [about 60 miles north-
northwest of Leningrad] is proving to be a
rather large-scale offensive. It is announced
tonight that the Finns have taken the important
railway junction of Elisenvaara. Among other
places reported to have fallen are Hiltola,
Kaukola, Kirvu, Rautjaervi, and Ilmee. ... Thus
from now on the Finns will control vital points
on the strategically important railway line from
Viborg [70 miles northwest of Leningrad] to
Sortavala [95 miles northeast of Viborg].
Their advance in the northern sector of this
isthmus has been more on the eastern side
[about 30 to 40 miles northeast of Viborg] than
toward the key city of Viborg. ... However,
strong Russian fortifications, newly constructed
airfields, and large concentrations of Red
Army troops on the isthmus would seem to
indicate that further progress here will be costly
and slow. ... It is reported that in the fighting in
the newly captured area [taken from Finland in
the 1939/40 war] the Russians employed not
only regular soldiers but also battalions of
women and units of workers. Reports from
Elisenvaara say that the city is completely
destroyed and that only ruins are to be seen.

Helsinki, Finland, Associated Press, The
New York Times, Saturday, August 16, 1941:
[Late Friday, U.S. time] Finnish forces,
reinforced by Germans, destroyed three
encircled Soviet battalions [a total of about
3,000 men] at Tolvajaervi and Aeglaejaervi
[about 170 miles north of Leningrad] after
fierce battles in that wild and swampy region
50 miles north of Lake Ladoga, Finnish
correspondents reported today. ... A Finnish
communique declared that a large number of
recently completed airfields "intended by the
Soviet Air Force as bases for aggression" had
been captured on the Karelian Isthmus and
north of Lake Ladoga. ... ... Moscow,
Associated Press, The New York Times,
Saturday, August 16, 1941: [Late Friday, U.S.
time] The Soviet Information Bureau today
issued the following communique: During Aug.
15 our troops continued fierce fighting with the
enemy along the whole front. ... Our air force in
cooperation with the land forces continued to
deal blows to enemy troops and attacked his
aircraft on airdromes. ... ... London,
Associated Press, The New York Times,
Friday, August 15, 1941: An Air Ministry
communique said today: Last night's
operations of the bomber command were on a
heavy scale and more than 300 took part. The
main targets were industries and
communications at Hanover, Brunswick, and
Magdeburg and many fires were started.
Subsidiary attacks were made on docks at
Rotterdam and Boulogne. ... Twelve of our
aircraft are missing. ... Blenheims operating
against enemy shipping off the Frisian Islands
yesterday scored direct hits on a supply ship,
which was left in flames and sinking. One
aircraft is missing from daylight operations.
[Other British communiques told of air attacks
on the Corinth Canal in Greece, an air base
in Crete, government buildings in Tripoli, a
submarine base in Sicily, barracks in
Syracuse, and enemy trenches and buildings
in Ethiopia.] ... ... Berlin, Associated Press,
The New York Times, Friday, August 15,
1941: The German High Command
communique said today: Odessa has been
encircled by Rumanian troops and Nikolaev by
German-Hungarian units, as announced in a
special communique. Eastward of the Bug
River, speedy German units in indefatigable
pursuit of the defeated enemy took the
important ore region of Krivoy Rog. On other
parts of the East Front, the fighting continues to
be successful. ... Last night the enemy
dropped incendiaries and explosives on
various places in Northwestern and Northern
Germany. An attempt by British planes to
attack the Reich's capital in the course of last
night was frustrated with considerable loss to
the foe by strong defenses. Night pursuiters
and anti-aircraft artillery shot down eight
bombers. ... In the fight against British
shipping, the air force off the Scottish East
Coast destroyed a 5,000-ton freighter and
badly damaged another large merchantman.
... Other combat planes sank two merchantmen
totaling 15,000 tons from convoys east of
Cromer and Great Yarmouth, set two freighters
afire, and damaged an additional two
merchantmen. ... Additional air raids were
directed against port facilities on English
coast. ... In North Africa combat planes scored
a direct bomb hit on one British destroyer north
of Sidi Barrani. Strong German bomber units
attacked the airport at Ismaila the night before
last and big fires were caused in hangers and
shelters. ... Chasers [fighter planes] and anti-
aircraft yesterday brought down nine British
pursuit [planes] on the Channel coast.

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