The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-13
Blitzkreig Stopped By Bel
gian Soldiers In Their
Second-Line Positions
BIG FORTRESS
Defenders Are Resisting At
tacks North And South
Of Albert Canal
BELGIUM
BY ROBERT OKIN


BRUSSELS, May 12@P-A Ger
blitzkrieg spearhead anking the
fortress city of Liege blasted its
way to a point Is miles of the rear
of the city itself today before it was
by Belgian soldiers %entrench-
ed in second-line positions, Bel
GUMS premier acknowledged to-
night in a report to his invaded ma.
ton.
The Germans have been stopped
near Waremme, 20 miles southwest
Of the Dutch roder at Maastricht
and about As miles east Of Brussels,
Premier Hubert Pierlot declared.
Resist Attacks
He also told the hard-pressed Bel
gians that their troops are success
fully resisting new German attacks
north and east of the Albert cana.
after being driven back from first
line defenses along that waterway.
"In spite of many (frontal) at
tacks against the Notifications OF
Liege, the enemy is unable to make
any advance" Pierlot said. Ap
proaches to the east of the vast Liege
forts are covered with German
corpses," he added.
With rumors sweeping this ref
ugee-packed capital, there was a
general exodcs under may tonight
from Brussels. Many left in com
Portable cars, other trudged on foot
or rode on trucks. The authorities
however, controlled the roads to
France to permit an unceasing
march of English and French troops
into Belgium.
Blast Hole In Canal
The Germans who reached War
emme first blasted a hole in the AL
bert canal forts just outside Mast
RIGHT. They reach Maastricht bf
cutting across the Dutch appendix
province of South Limburg. The AL
bert canal forts are the northern ex-
tension of the Liege zone, and the
ones opposite Maastricht are about
Is miles north of Liege itself.
Faced with losses admittedly ter
rible, the government prepared for
the eventuality of fight from Brus'
sells, but decided to stay for now
Thousands of refugees from outlying
e were pouring into the capital
With Brussels subjected to nu'
merous air alarms during the day,
Foreign Minister Paul Henri Spaak
said the government as yet serious
ly doesn't dream of elaving the
capital.
"Stablized"
Spaak told a press conference the
situation was 'tabliized," even in
the worst part of the front.
Fighting continued fiercely in the
new positions, the Belgian war com
munique reported tonight, with the
defenders standing their ground in
spite of the action of armored units
supported by aircraft which attack
ed u columns on the ground"
4IdI IIlc IIcllCIl lIOOpS AOW oAS
in the front lines with their new
Belgian Allies was revealed in the
communique.
"a French counter-attack against
the enemy motorized units was sue
cessful," it. said. "A great number
of enemy tanks was Destroyed"
zone attempt to cross the (A1
bert) canal by means of boats fail
ed owing to the Ire of u Defense
the communique said:
It was not reported where this
attempt was repulsed but the Ger
mans already had crossed the AL
bert canal, Belgium-s first line Of
defense, at least at Maastricht and
perhaps elsewhere.
The advance unit which pushed tc
the southwest from Maastricht
through Tongres despite fierce re
sistance land in the evening were
standing near Waremme."
Pierlot's war report was punctur-
ed by the shrek of an air raid alarm.
The Belgian capital had been al
tackled six times from the air dur
ing the morning before he spoke and
Continued on Page Ten)