January 6, 1940; RUSSIANS FLEE FINNS:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 6, 1940

Russians Flee

Finns in
Arctic Circle

HELSINKI, Jan. 5 UP)—Soviet warplanes struck again Friday at southwestern Finland while unofficial reports told of a second smashing victory by the Finns in the snows of the far north where they already had scored a major triumph over the red army.

Official reports merely recounted continued Finnish successes on the eastern frontier and said that Russian planes continued raids on the ancient port of Viipuri, on the Gulf of Finland, and attacked the inland town of Voika, where two persons were killed and 16 injured.

From Tornio, on the Finnish-Swedish frontier, came unofficial advices, however, that the Finns had delivered another crushing blow to the Russians at Salla, 125 miles north of Lake Kianta, scene of last week's virtual destruction of the soviet 163rd division.

The routed Russians were reported retreating in great confusion from Salla, just above the Arctic circle, toward Kandalaska, their soviet base.

The vital Murmansk-Leningrad railroad, Russia's supply line to the north, is only 40 miles from the frontier in this vicinity, and observersdeclared the new victory might presage destruction of the line.

There have been previous reports from the northern and central  Finnish fronts of successful raids against the railroad at several

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Tornio Dispatch

Recounts
Major Triumph

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points by elusive Finnish "ski cavalry."

These reports and the accounts of the latest victory led neutral observers to believe that the red army would be forced to abandon efforts in the north to sever Finland and confine its invasion to the Karelian isthmus to regain prestige.

The Finns already have declared that "the winter war in the north is ours."

Without the Murmansk railroad, Russia would have trouble getting supplies to her forces in the north but could continue moving men and munitions to the Karelian isthmus through Leningrad.

Finnish Communique
The Finnish high command, in a communique dealing with Thursday's fighting, said its troops had killed 400 Russians and took 40 prisoners in two encounters on the eastern fronts.

On the Karelian isthmus the high command said there had been lively artillery activity and a Russian night attack at Kirvesmaki, in the Taipale sector, which was repulsed.

 

Nazi Threats

Parallel
Strategy of '18

Experts Expect

Drive to Be
In Sea and Air
By Kirke L. Simpson (
Associated Press Staff Writer

History is repeating itself as reports circulate that Germany plans a smashing offensive against the Franco-British allies in the spring.

The press dispatches telling about the predicted stroke might almost have been lifted from the news columns of January, 1918.

Then, as now, German and allied spokesmen spent months forecasting the final German drive that all but cracked the west front at the critical juncture of the French and British lines.

That drive came In March. A British army was hurled back until a "backs to the wall" statement was wrung from Sir Douglas Haigj British commander. American troops were poured into the fight, and just under eight months later, November 11, 1918, came the Armistice and complete defeat for Germany.

 

Chamberlain Sweeps
War, Propaganda
Leaders From Cabinet

Ouster of Hore-Belisha Laid to

'Difference' With Army Chief;
Airways Head Becomes Censor

LONDON, Jan. 5 (AP)—Prime Minister Chamberlain unexpectedly reorganized his cabinet Friday by dropping his war secretary, energetic Leslie Hore-Belisha, who was reported to have differed "violently" with the general staff on army administration.

In the shuffle, Lord Macmillan, "*""minister of information who had come in for the bulk of Britons' criticism of their censorship, also retired.
To Oliver Stanley, president of the board of trade, a wheelhorse of the conservative party and whose father was war minister in 1916, went the task of directing Britain's war office.