The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-05-20
GERMAN ARMIES
RESUME ATTACKS
Continued from Page u

ed with German dive bombers and
destroyer planes carrying cannon)
smashing enemy tank columns NOV
ing north from the French town Of
Loan and compelling them 10 fall
back.
The French THRUST from Laon
apparently was O counter. attack BY
tank columns seeking to protect the
Scissors and Rheims sectors, baout
90 miles from Paris.
Further north, on the Frenchc-
Belgian frontier, the main Allied
counter attack was In the vicinity
OF Maubeuge. where they apparently
attempted TO cut into the base OF
the German "bulge" through the
Maginot line defenses.
French Belgians Suffer
French and Belgians suffered
heavily" when they were repulsed
In attempting TO break through near
Maubeuge, south Of Valenciennes,
the communique said
The enemy after being repulsed
In that sector is now retreating
westward" II added.
Southwest OF the Baubeuge Sec
tor, In the San quentin area. the
Germans appeared TO be making
their biggest drive toward the Eng
iish channel at the mouth OF the
River Somme, 66 miles from Per-
onne, In conjunction with the adj
vance Of their right wing through
Belgium toward the channel ports
The advance OF motorized columns
to the 1915 battlefield OF the Somnle,
on the Cambrai-Perornc road as
by the high command, Indicated
that o triangle formed by Cambria
Peronnc. San Quentin <as the scene
OF most desperate fighting.
Bombing Raids Succeed
The communique said that the
German air force intensified itS
attacks on the rear OF the enemy
In q series Of successful bombing
raids, and official sources said that
one German Aircraft regiment
between May 10 and May Is had
shot down l04 enemy planes raid.
Ing German areas.
TWO enemy destroyers were de-
stroyed off the French. Belgium
coast, the high command said, and
one destroyer and French torpedo
boat as well as three merchantmen
were seriously damaged.
The high command said that the
Germans had captured all OF the
"inner ring" OF Belgian forts that
had held out for more than q week
at Liege, and that ell but one fort
Atramur, the Belgian town at the
4 e.;ion Of the Mouse and sambre
RIVERS had been taken.
While German mechanical forces
and motorized infantry poured
through the gap blasted In the little
Maginot line, Adolph Hitler de-
creed from his headquarters with
the army high command that Ger
many had re-annexed the Belgian
border districts Of Eupen, Malmedy
and Moresnet, taken from the Ger
man province Of Aacherl by the
Versailles treaty. It was 0ermany'S
first boundary readjustment since
the Polish campaign.
Sure Of Victory
At the same time authorized
sources said Germany did not In.
tend, In event OF final victory, TO
re-arinex Alsace-Lorraine from
France, and they said the Neither
lands would be restored 10 inde-
pendence. after the war.
A high command cofmmunique
said that In north Belgium, German
troops thrust constantly further
westwards after the enemy, who
continued rear guard fights" The
River Scheldt was crossed west Of
Antwerp, and west OF Brussels Ger
man troops reached the Dendre
sector, rs miles west Of Brussels and
80 miles from the coast, the high
command said.
The communique said German
troops thrusting between Maubeuge,
on the French border and La Fer.
re, 80 miles northeast OF Paris, had
crossed the sambre and Disc rivers
and taken lie Caeau ana 81. Quen'
tin.
Germans extended their line east
TO an area north Of Laon and the
Aisne river, near Rethel, the high
command said, and also captured
one o. the strongest fortresses o.