The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-06
All Attacks From Nazi
Tanks, Troops Have Been
Met Successfully
GERMANY CLAIMS TO
HAVE MADE GAINS
French Admit 5 or 6 Mile
Gain in One Sector Be.
low PerOnne
BY RALPH HETNzEN
United Press Staff CorrespendentD

nH MA1km WEkN HBE
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
Paris, June 8. - CUP -
French authorities claimed
today that Al German tanks
have been captured or de-
stroyed along the Weygand
Line and that French troops
were successfully resisting
the German offensive. These
sources said that 1t was still
too early In the battle TO
express either pcssimism or opti-
inism over the outcome, but the
French lines, generally speaking.
were holding firm.
Tank attacks have been met sue
cessfuIIy, II was said, by allowing
them 70 insiltrate into the French
iinesfi then cutting them off and
destroying or capturing them indi.
viduaiiy.
Carrier the French claimed the
destruction Of 100 tanks In the
Amiens sector and Is at Chaulies
II was believed that the Al now re-
ported destroyed or captured were
In addition 10 previous reports,
making q total Of some i66 Ger
man tanks put out Of action. The
dis>atch, however, was not specific
on this point)
AS each group OF tanks has
ploughed into the French lines, u
has been enveioped by the French,
II was said, preventing the masses
Of German infantry from following
Up the advance.
Admit Nazi Gains
However, II was admitted that the
Germans have made gain OF some
five or six miles In q drive south
OF Peronne. It appeared that the
Germans were trying TO straighten
out their lines In this area where
the French hold curved salient.
The war ministry today issued o
special communique concerning the
charges published In the Italian
press concerning the conduct OF
French officers during the Flanders
campaign.
The communique said:
at seems unnecessary 70 deny In
formation published IN the Italian
press that French officers 5uring
recent operations committed acts Of
violence and even crimes against
Italians caught In the flux ana re-
fiux Of battle. The French armys
officer corps Is above such accusa-
tons"
Rcynsud, In radio speech 70
the people, said that Adolf Hitler
had used every airplane and tank
he could muster In the present Of
fensiyc. but that the French opera
lions we're being carried out salts
factorjiy.
This bate "of June. io40'' may
decide the fate OF the world for hum
dreds OF years, he said, and IN TINS
fight France has only one thought
victory"
German dreams OF domination
will be smashed by French resist
ance," he said.
Hundreds OF German warplanes
have flown over Paris, striking
women, old men and children" Rey-
maud continued, adding that he
watched "our men and women at
work" during the bombing and saw
confidence In their faces"
French RetaIiate
Reynaud said the French had re-
taliated by bombing Frankfort and
other German cities. For every
French village or town attacked by
the Germans, ne said, German
town or village will be bombed.
Reynaud said Adolf Hitler had
brought into play. in the current
offensive. every plane and tank
the Germans have and that he was
very satisfied with the French
answer.
German Report
Berlin, Jure Sup German
military quarters said today that
German troops had made important
gains through the Weygand line,
particularly near Amiens, Peronne
and close to the English Channel
coast.
German forces smashing through
the French defensive lines with
mass assaults led by tanks ard aid
ed by dive bombers. captured large
ouantitiss Of French war materials,
the military Spokesman sid.
The chief gains by the Germans
tConsinued on Page 100