THE GREAT RUSSIAN DRIVE
SEELY, Lt. Comdr. C. S.
The Great Russian Drive By LT. COMDR. C. S. SEELY THE present Russian drive is one of the greatest military operations in all history, and no doubt will shorten the war by months, but I do not...
...But we should not .pin any hopes on this...
...For this reason they will be cautious, and not run grave risks...
...Before that line is broken the Russians almost certainly will have to stop for want of supplies at the front...
...C. S. SEELY THE present Russian drive is one of the greatest military operations in all history, and no doubt will shorten the war by months, but I do not believe it will carry through to Berlin, or even crack the Danzig-Vienna-North Italy line...
...And there are no barriers—either man-made or natural—between Warsaw and Berlin that can stop the Red Army— if supplies can be brought up as they are needed...
...I am personally, convinced that there is, on the contrary, every reason for believing that the Russians are doing the best they can to fit their plans into ours...
...The opinions and assertions expressed above are the private ones of the writer and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large...
...It is just a question of long supply lines hampering the Russians and short supply and defense lines aiding the Nazis...
...I do not believe the war in Europe will end this year, but I will concede the possibility of its ending in 1946...
...Of course the Russians will now push on to Berlin if they can without running grave risks, and since there are no longer any political obstacles in the way—as there were in Poland—they may possibly do so...
...It is my guess that there will have to be at least one more great drive—following another lull—before Berlin can be taken...
...It is true, of course, that they did not start their present drive in December (when the Nazis were pressing us hard), but we should realize that it requires months to organize a great attack...
...They can well afford to do this, as they are not pressed for time...
...The Russians are now deep into enemy territory —territory which the enemy can ill afford to lose...
...It is not a case of German manpower stopping the Russians, as no doubt the Nazis can now be outnumbered at all points of contact...
...There is no sense in the recent hints by the Army and Navy Journal, and other publications which have long had the confidence and respect of American military and naval officers that the Russians are not cooperating with us...
...Premature attacks are not likely to succeed and may well be fatal...
...There is still a great struggle to be won in Europe...
...They may slow down any day now and wait for reserves and supplies to come up...
Vol. 9 • January 1945 • No. 5
