The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-15
Low Country Invasion Held Likely Preview
 Of War Deciding Battle Elsewhere---Johnson
Experts Look
 To MOsene And Mouse Valleys
BY THOMAS M. JOHNSON
 NEA Service Military Writer

Netherlands and Belgium may prove only a curtain raiser to a tremendous battle now in the making farther east in the Mouse and Moselle Valleys.
 The Germans appear to be using only 20 divisions in the low coun- tries, scarcely more than those coun- tries can oppose them with, even without Allied help,
 The big parade of German mass attack may soon drive between the right of the British French troops aiding the BelgianS and the left of the strongest portion of the Maginot line.
 German capture of one of the Liege forts and the drive in behind the whole fortified region there, to- gether with the capture of Malmedy, suggest that these are the regions to watch.
 Luxembourg, easily taken without resistance, and the country north and south of 1.-the Liege region and the Mosellc valley--may soon be the scene of greater battle than the spectacular drive for the chan mel ports and air bases for raids on England.
 Tn the first scene of the first act. the melodramatic invasion of the Netherlands, the Na2is seem to have failed in their wild hope of complete conquest in 24 hours in the Oslo manner.
 There arc more hours to come, however, and it is still possible the German object hero may be achieved. The object Is, of course, to reach the Dutch coast, and estab- fish there air and naval bases for an attack, perhaps an invasion, aimed directly at England.
 This attempt, though In the long run not necessarily failure, ap- pears subsidiary to the effort against Belgium. Though the Bel gian army is better and stronger than the Dutch, and her fortinca- tons stronger, Belgium already seems harder hit.
 MALMEDY NO
 GREAT LOSS
 The capture within 24 hours Of part of the Liege forts means q dent in the apex of the Belgian defense triangle-Liego- -Namur-Antwerp.
 The fall of Malmedy is less serious for behind 1t lies the rough and ob. stacled Ardennes country, which should delay German troops trying to cut off the Liegc area. French and British reiniorcements arc now supporting Licgc.
 The final central defense keep of Holland Is the territory between tho Hague, Rotterdam. and Amster- dam, where supporting British troops have already landed.
 This central defense zone was de- tended by fortified lines along the Yssel and Mouse rivers. Before reaching those lines the Germans penetrated a zone averaging 10 to 10 miles or mined roads, dynamited bridges, trees, tank-traps and barbed wire.
 This abatls and the river lines held long enough for the flooding to take full effect. These flood waters fill- ing up the lowlands are the final defense for Hollands central keep" LUXEMBOURG
 NICE PLUM
 Overlooked by many Is the advan- tage to Hitler In the easy conquest of Luxembourg, aided by 10000 Ger man residents as an effective fifth column"
 These Germans helped Hitler to acquire some of the finest and larg- est iron and steel mines and works in Europe, familiar to many A. F. r. veterans who went into the tiny Grand Duchy after the armistice ended the World war In 1918.