Evening star., 1940-05-26
Fighting Fronts


day to announce capture of st. Quentin
and disclose strategy of seeking foothold
on Channel coast.
Breaking through seemingly demoral-
lied Allied line at point near junction
of British and French,
Germons German thrust in this Sec
Advance tor was obviously directed
down Somme River valley
toward Amiens and Abbeville. Confident
of devastating power of superior aerial
squadrons, invaders apparently felt little
fear of counterattacks on both flanks
from British on north, French on south.
Hopefully, Allied observers reported
Gen. Maxine Weygand, 73-year-old
British French generalissimo, planning
pincers counteroffensive from Valen-
ciennes on one side, Rethel on other.
But on Tuesday came substantiated
German claims of capture of Laon, then
of LaFere and Cambria. In swift hours
that followed, onrushing motorized col
umns roared into Arras, Aniens, Able
Nlle-12 miles short of English Channel.
Curly, Berlin communique declared
that 9th French Army has been crushed
and is about to be dissolved"
Challenging belief that such things
could happen was announcement that
Gen. Giraud, COM
Capture mander of shattered
OF Giroud French Army. had been
captured with all his
staff; that Nazi movement had been so
swift that officer had unwittingly driven
into headquarters area just set up by
invaders.
Moving Paris-ward more leisurely, as
needlelke spire of Eiffel Tower showed
in distance, Germans swirled around
Reims and scissors, latter only Sc miles
from Paris.
Bitterly on that day, Frances Premier
Reynaud addressed his Senate, charged
'total disorganization" of Meuse army
through which Germans had poured.
Henceforth, he promised grimly mo
weakness will be tolerated. Death is in
adequate punishment for any error
against the vital interests of the coun-
try"
Yesterday French announced shake-up
In high command involving Is generals.
French shock troops on Wednesday
claimed recapture of Arras and routing
of NaI advance units from Abbeville.
Destruction of Somme River bridges was
calculated to check any immediate Na1
push southwark from this area toward
Paris.
But even this apparent checking of
German momentum was of short dura-
ton. On Thursday, Nazis
Action at swept back into both
AbbeviIIe Abbeville and Arras, then
wheeled northward to
threaten Boulogne. On Friday, their
lunging columns roared into st. Omer,
20 miles from Calais.
This country is in fearful danger"
Alfred Duff Cooper, British Minister of
Information announced as specter arose
of Germans based in Channel ports some
80 miles from English headlands.
During Friday, British acknowledged
German capture of Boulogne, but later
that day French War Ministry claimed
Poilu units still in possession of port.
Yesterday, both French and Germans
were claiming possession.
In Belgium, British-Belgian resistance
was more stubborn, but on Friday Ger
man communique claimed break across
Scheldt River, carrying in some spots
across River Lys, 80 miles from Ostend.
On Friday for first time, Allies claimed
concentrations of artillery directed at
German spearhead in
Allied Somme Valley. In cross
Crossfire fire which might have
been effective if NaN
legions were not in customary move
ment, pocketed northern Allied Army
poured shells southwark from Cambria
Arras sector while French turned their
guns north from left bank of Somme.
Backing up this fire were heavy thrusts
Of Allied infantry outnumbering Ger
mans, but through yesterday there had
been no claim Of breaking Nazi corridor.
Through all this week of bloody and
bitter action, no type of combat has been
more destructive than that in air.
With thousands Of planes apparently
In service along western front, Germans
have engaged in constant and merciless
bombing not only of Allied troop con-
centrations and reinforcement columns,
but likewise of virtually every town near
battle sector, of Paris-Rouen Railway to
lie Havre, and of Channel ports of
Dunkerque and Dover. OF greatest value
to Nazi command has been carefully ac-
curate reconnoitering service of German
flyers and demoralizing attacks of dive
bombing Stukas
Effectiveness of German bombing
where resistance is insignificant was re-
counted most graphically by Associated
Press correspondent from Rotterdam. In
minutes, he wrote last week, squadron