The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-18
Death Order Stand Is
Given By Gen. Gamelin
CONTINUED From Page u

al veil AZ Belgium during the night,
in addition 10 attacking important
military detectives IN western Ger.
many. Operations, the air ministry
said, were on q heavy scale.
Backs 70 Ports
The Allied armies Of France, Great
Britain, Belgium and Holland were
fiQhtlnR with their back 10 the
channel ports and Paris, 90 miles
away, on the ninth day OF the Ger
man blitzkrieg.
The battle had reached the crisis
stage.
Brussels had fallen; Antwerp was
threatened: the Dutch had been
forced TO abandon the two key
islands OF Beveland and Walcheren
IN the tiny corner Of their country
they still held: German tanks, at
lacking In wedge-shaped masses
ripped into the Allied lines through
tire great bulges they had made
and German dive bombers sent
down an unrelenting blast OF bombs
and machine gun bullets.
Ordered 10 Die
French troops had been ordered
10 die where they stood II they
could not advance Every man In
every Allied army knew that his
country's future might depend on
the fight he put UP in the next few
days.
On the northern front the Allies
held O line behind Brussels,
On the southern front, on French
coll and the most critical one, the
French were reported holding the
line Sedan-north OF Rethel-Mon-
cornet-Maubeuge, with the Ger
mans OF the little town Of Mon
Cornet, 81 miles northeast OF Laon,
only 90 miles away from Paris. as
they we're ut VervinS, IL miles
north-northweSt OF Moncornet.
Scrre River Defended
On the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sector,
the French were defending the
9erre river, with IAon and SoisSons,
scene OF an American Victory In
1918, directly behind them on the
road 10 Paris,
Fighting was described by French
military experts as comparable with
that Of Verdun, rs miles 10 the east,
whose Soil has ben enriched by the
rotting bones OF hundreds OF thou
sands OF World War soldiers.
But the battle was becoming even
more furious. Both sides, military
reports said here, were throwing re-
Inducements into the fight hour
after hour.
Apex Of Drive
The Serre river sector was the
Apex OF the southern drive for the
moment. Tanks, arm0red cars, mo-
torcycle and bicycle troops and In
fantrymen were lighting in confused
groups, with airpancS always over
them, raining death,
SERIOUS as the situation was from
the Allied viewpoint there was not
the slightest sign OF despair. Morale
OF oil troops was reported excellent.
The fronts OF Llege and Namur, far
behind the front on the German
side, were reported holding stu UNI
der their Belgian garrisonB.
Namur and the area north OF Rau-
court, eight miles south OF Sedan,
marked the extreme points OF the
G0-nile southern front
Reflux situation
The situation was described aS one
Of fefIlX, within the German tnnk,
heavier than the Allies knew they
had, ripping into the French
line and the French infantry, clos
ing IN behind them, challenging the
German advancing infantry In hand
10 hand fighting.
Prom the southern front, the
French line Joined In the Sambrc
river area with the French British
Belgian army on the Antwerp.
BrusseB-Snmbre line.
Move Line Back
The French on the southern front
eiected 10 retire their whole line
slowly and IN order, rather than
permit the Germans 10 make fur.
ther bulgeS In IL. Tho French taC-
tics, experts said, continued 10 be
local counter-attacks and defense
OF organized strong points-wlth the
hope always In the background that
tho German attack might be halted
and O great Allied counter-offen-
eive started.
A military informant said that the
Germans had attacked IN two dirGC-
tons yesterday, using the largest
mass tank formations they could
get into action.
They attacked northward from
Avegnes, BE- miles northwest Of
sedan, toward Maubege, and south
ward In the direction OF VerVlnB, 20
miles south OF Avesnes.
Fighting IL Fierce
Fierce fighting obtained All day
Yesterday, the informant said, and