The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-13
BRITAIN STATES
aims OF GERMANY
Continued from Page h

DurCntly knlIlnB ucfoSS tne mid
Holland belt, IN IN effort TO isolate
the important Rotterdam The
Hague. Amsterdam area lying north
OF the Mas river, from the south
ern part OF the country. One Ger
man column crossed the Yssel near
Anthem, II may have been motorized
units OF this column which the Ger
man high command claimed effect
cd contact with Rotterdam aifplane
troops ut the south tSuedD Willem
Genial, 40 miles from Rotterdam.
3. A three pronged German
thrust across the Dutch appendix"
and into Belgium NJ Manstrieht,
One prong moved northwest, seeking
10 sever Belgium from Holland.
Another hit TO the southwest and
today was reported by the Germans
10 have entered Liege although the
outer forts have not yet been re-
duced, A third prong crossed the AL
bert canal near Hnsset according
70 the Germans, and was believed
headed for Brussels.
4. What Is regarded IN military
circles as o "holding" attack by the
Germans through Luxembourg de-
signed 10 pin French forces at tho
head OF the Maginot line and allow
tho Germans 10 right.wheel through
the low countries.
Most Serious ThrustS
Allied quarters regarded the Ger
man thrusts from MaNStriGht as the
most serious since these threaten 10
turn the Belgian main defense line
The Albert Canal--and make Ant.
werp, key 10 the Belgian channel
ports, untenable.
Because Of tho danger from the
Ma0stricht columns the Allies thus
far have concentrated much of their
DIR power In an attempt 10 break
UP the German advance there. The
Raj was reported TO have destroyed
two bridges at MaaStrleht across
which the Germans moved and 10
have bombed advancing troops
heavily.
It was believed here that the
British may seek TO employ their
SEQ power TO bolster the channel
port defenses, possibly effecting
direct landings OF British troops ut
the ports and using naval arms TO
attack the Germans II their advance
reaches that Vicinity.
Channel Ports Important
The Importance OF the channel
ports Is wildly realized by Britain's
new prime minister, Winston Churc-
hill, who In 1914 insisted that Brit
iSh expeditionary troops seek TO hold
Antwerp and went there himself
with British marines In q vain effort
10 save the city, \
The DIR ministry disclosed that
last night German troops In Bel
GUM had been bombed heavily by
royal air force planes and that I'M
portant German communications IN
Germany between Therhine and the
Dutch frontier had been attacked
from the air
German planes destroyed In air
combat by anti-aircrat fire or
rendered useless by attacks while on
the ground, were believed In well
informed quarters to total more than
200 since the start Of the blitzkrieg
agains the Low Countries.
British Ga:vary Men
British calvarymen have clashed
with the Germans In Belgium In
fighting resulting in advantages to
the British, general headquarters
asserted In communique.
Well-informed sources, asserting
that reports from the battelfields
showed German attempt TO win
war quickly, said 1t was too early
to estimate the strength Of Ger
many's latest punch.
"But there Is no question that the
German offensive Is being under
.,ken with the strongest forces" II
was said.
The air ministry, describing at
tacks on important communications
In Germany and on German troops
moving In eastern Belgium last
night said that one British plane
had failed to return.
The air force last night also car
ried out a new series Of successful
bombing attacks on the Waalhaven
airdrome at Rotterdam which. 1t
was admitted, again was In German
hands.
Main German Attack
Well informed quarters said that
In the north of the new battle zone
the main German ATTACK had devel-
oped In accordance with expecta-
lions, between the strongest posi-
tons held by the Dutch and Belgian
armies.
The British admitted the Ger
mans had crossed the Albert canal
at Maastrich and said that the ad-
vance from that pointwas "serious."