The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-28


 tured Douai, orchies, Bassee, Mef- vile, Hasebrouk and Doufbous- vile. As result, the long French Qualifications north of vAlenciennes were broken through, the com. munique said
 An enemy destroyer was "se. verely hit" by . bomb in the Eng fish channel, the high command said, and 1t was claimed that German speedboat had sunk an enemy transport veBsel of 5000 tons.
 Authorized quarters, commenting on the high commands communicate and the earlier special announce. ment on the equalization of Leo. polds forces, said that the Helgiars had been crushed after very heroic fighting both in the homeland and after they had been pocketed by the Germans in France"
 The authorized quarters rebuked French Premier Paul Reynaud for This lack of taste In critici2ing his Belgian comrades"
 Belgian Army Done
 The announcement by the Ger mans of the Belgian surrender said.
 "The Belgian army thus today laid down It's arms and ceased to exist" the announcement said.
 Leopold therefore acceded to the German demand for unconditional exploitation" 1t added.
 Under the destroying effest Of the German weapons, the Belgian king decided to end further pointless re. sistance and to request an arn1iBtice."
 The report from Hitler's head. quarters said that the number of Belgian troops ordered to surrender totaled about 100000. German troops were ordered to treat the Belgian king and army as "brAve soldiers"
 Leopold Gets Palace
 It was understood chat Leopold had not expressed any wishes regard. ing his place of residence and as c result Hitler placed Belgian palace at his disposal temporarily.
 Hitler's headquarters said that now the German army will "dfive with increased strength In the de- struction of the chief culprits."
 Discussing the exploitation. au- thorised military quarters said that 1t was c humanitarian action by Leopold in the face of futile re. sistance" before the crushing Ger. man blitzkrieg.
 Retirement of the Belgian forces from the war, it was said, would re- suit in early defeat of the remaining British and French forces bottled up along the French. Belgian border, would strengthen the German foot. hold on the English channel coast and lead to the eventual invasion of Great Britain.
 Complete encirclement Of the Al- lies in Flanders now was only mat' ter of days, 1t was said. Once sur. rounded, this force will have to flee to Great Britain under e hall Of bombs, or face total destruction, the Germans said.
 Allies Should Surrender
 There Is only one sensible" way out for the remaining Allies, 1t was said, and that is surrender.
 We Germans have always regard. cd Leopold as a man with 100 per cent of honor" . spokesman said. He stayed at the head of hh armies whereas the other crowned heads fled to the protection of the ploutocrats in London. tThe refer. ence obviously was to Queen Wilhel. nina of the Netherlands who had said in London recently that the Ger mans had planned to kidnap her and hold her as @ hostage).
 "He was Q real off1cer an acted like a real officer when he saw that further resistance was futile." the spokesman said.
 up to now" one military source said, "the Belgians were the best army opposing us, morally, material ly and tactically. Where the Ger man forces advanced slowly they were fighting the Belgians, and where they were advancing rapidly they were fighting the British and the French"