Evening star., 1940-05-19

A. P. Photo.
more important today than it was re-
allied to be in 1914
Bent then primarily on destruction of
the French, onrushing Germans of
earlier war wheeled from
Ostend Namur southwark with
Objective out any immediate effort
to capture Antwerp. Not
until October 8, 1914, more than two
months after Imperial Germany had
launched its drive through Belgium did
kaiser's troops take Antwerp-and then
only because French and British, like
invading Germans, had failed to realize
its strategic value soon enough. Subse-
quently, Germans rolled down Belgian
coast to take Zeebrugge and Ostend, rs
short miles from English coast.
AS happened in 1914, German wheeling
movement last week brought them quick
ly into contact with French on latter's
own soil. Avoiding main Maginot Line
by virtue OF using Belgian roadway, Nazis
struck first at Longwy, north OF Verdun
and near junction of Maginot Line with
so-called Little Maginot Line facing Bel
gian frontier.
True to form, Germans here drove
motorized columns deep into enemv No
sit1ons, famed them out
Mechonized and had comparatively
Miqht immobile defense at quick
disadvantage. But few
miles to north and west, Nazis made
their major thrust at French, took Sedan
with little or no difficulty, and threw
powerful attacking forces across Meuse
River.
With attempted assurance, Paris mill
tary spokesman admitted piercing of
Little Maginot Line but boasted that
defense forces were complete masters of
the situation" Here again, then, was
promised great stand by allied troops,
but on Friday came reports in more
detail that German break through had
widened to cover 70-80-mile stretch be-
tween Maubeuge and Montmedy. Bend
ing first to Rethel, 100 miles from Paris,
French line on Friday night was reported
pushed almost to Reims-St. Quentin
familiar names to those whose unhappy
memories encompass the war of 1914-l8.
Seriousness of this situation for allied
arms was disclosed nowhere more
graphically than in command issued Fri
day night by Gen. Maurice Gustave
Gamelin, commander in chief of French
British troops:
"The fate of the fatherland, that of
our allies and the destiny of the world
depend on the battle now
die On in its course.
The SPOT" ANY soldier who can
not advance should die
on the spot rather than abandon the
part of the native soil confided to him."
Twenty-six years ago, Marshal Papa"
Joftre gave his taxicab-transported
French Army this same advice-fired
them to stop German rush at first battle
OF the Marne in week-long engagement.
While this developing conflict deep in
side French may be most critical of war,
opposing armies made contact at other
scattered points during week.
For instance, along main sections of
Maginot- -Siegfried Lines there were
heavier then usual exchanges of artillery
fire. Just north of Swiss corner, French
artillery and allied bombers succeeded in
shattering railroad tunnel by which Ger
man trains entered Switzerland.
In retaliation for alleged French
bombardment of "open" German city of
Restatt, Nazi batteries dropped some
damaging shells in Hagenau.
On Thursday, London Air Ministry
claimed Royal Air Force had launched
its greatest bombing at
Britons Bomb tack of war on Nazi
Nozi Lines troop concentrations,
supply depots and COM
munications east of Rhine Tons of ex-
plosives were released, ministry said,
causing fires and destruction of Ger
man materials
Operating in close coordination with
| attacking columns Nazi air squadrons
| put in furious week of strafing and
bombing prompting counter aerial ac-
ton by allies. As in case of men, accu-
rate casualty estimates were virtually
impossible; safe assumptiRn was that
| hundreds of nlanes and (Ho,sands of