davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
WILL HISTORY
REPEAT ITSELF?

Mai. Gen. George H. Arnold revealed
this week that America has new secret
weapons" up its aerial sleeve for use
against the axis in the nOt-toO-fard distant
future
lie remarked that today's Flying Fort
resses and their like are the last of the
small bombers,' and declared that the
SO calibre machine guns in use today are
terrific weapons of destruction but
will be considered pea-ShoOters beside
newly developed guns.
The announcement was among the
most interesting of recent weeks, for more
reasons than one.
in World War |, it was the sudden ap-
pearance of British tanks, then "Secret
weapon" toward the end of the war
which helped put the Germans to final
defeat. Not only the performance OF the
tanks, which were mere amateurs besides
toGay's land battleWagons, but their et-
feet on German morale was a direct fac
tor contributing to the German downfall.
If history repeats itself, the sudden
appearance of startlingly improved new
weapons at time when the axis is fight
ing a purely defensive battle for the first
time, may have lot to do with Fastening
the end Of the war.
We cannot depend on any new weapons
to bring the conflict to an actual end.
Only coordinated effort at home and
abroad, with all weapons at our disposal,
will do that. And then only after fight
harder than any we have had up to now.
But new weapons may mean difference
of weeks, or even months, in the dura-
tion of the conflict.
We shall be waiting anXiously to see
Arnold's words transformed into action.
The axis, we imagine, will wait more an
xiOuSlV still.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Rome Says Naples
Struck By Bombs

RCMF. Dec. Is 5-Gt2lian Broad
cast Recorded BY UP in New York;
Naples was bombed last night,
without casualties. the Italian high
command said today.
During last night, enemy ar
craft raided Naples and dropped
lew dozens Of bombs" it was an
nounced. so far. no victims have
been reported among the civilian
n0rulation.
The Italian eommuniquc SAID al
~ that more than 200 were re-
ported dead and several hundred
wounded among the populations OF
T,.nis and Sousse after a violent
raid.
Hard fighting was reported yes
fcrday in western Syrcnaica, with
--ali-n armc.ed detachments stop
9i.e tie oncn.., WHO had superior
inv in men and equipment but lost
- tanks
On the coast OF Lioya, the Ital-
i'm ccnrl I'd said, &c man fght-
ers gnot down nine enemy aircraft
and Italian fighters shot down one
British reconnaissance plane.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Air Offensive II,
1unisia Continues
At Speedy Tempo
d HEADQUARTERS.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS.
North Africa, Dec. l5.-UPD-
Axis targets have rocked under the
impact of American seaplane bombs
for the third straight day of fe-
rocioCS attack on enemy REIN
forcement bases all the way from
BiZerte to SfaX ON the east coast
of Tunisia.
Fighters, fighter -bombers, light
bombers, medium bombers and
heavy bombers joined in attacks
yesterday which ended only at mid
night when Boeing B-17 Flying
FortreSSeS came back after a heavy
raid on docks and shipping at
TuniS.
Army heavy bombers scored rs
on docks and ships in a big attack
on BiZerte and, challenged by nine
German Messerschmitt-1 fight
ers, shot down three of them. dam
aged several others and returned
safe through a screen of anti-air-
craft gun fire.
Douglas APO attack bombers and
fighters newly equipped with bomb
racks, rained bombs on the rail-
road freight yards at SfaX, on the
east coast, and started two large
fires, apparently among gasoline
tank cars. Returning without loss.
the plane crews saw flames of one
fire when 40 miles away.
Martin B-26 Martians, escorted by
Lockheed P-50 Lightning fighters,
bombed the docks at SouSse down
the coast from SfaX.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
DON'T CARRY THIS
PROGRAM TOO FAR

We are not sufficiently we'll Informed
to argue the merits of ManpOWer Dictator
Paul " McNutt's announcement that Sc
lected youths who have been inducted
into the armed services will be trained
in medicine and other sciences at govern
ment expense and under government dir
ectiOn.
We know, without going into the merits
or necessity of the wartime program, that
we should not like to have our children
educated under the direction of Mr.. Nc
Mutt, be it peacetime or wartime. Nor
should we like to live in some community
of the future in which the highly educat-
ed persons were those who had been chOs-
en- by Mr.. McNutt.
II is possible that the educational pro-
gram for doctors and in other sciences
is essential at this time, in order to pre-
vent a later critical shortage in those
lines 1t is also possible that those to be
educated in this way may be given their
education without dictation by the gov
ernment as to the trends of their study
and thinking.
Granting that the program may be
necessary, we adhere to the belief that
it establishes a dangerous precedent and
should be watched with utmost suspicion
Carried farther, such a program might
mean IIdI 1Sutl dl dQlIllliioli oIiOii NOoia
limit higher education to persons with
embryo viewpoints directly in line with
the administrations own The perlls IN
such a possibility are readily seen.
Equal opportunity for all in education
is an American tradition which we can
not afford to overthrow. 1t may be nee
essary for us to modify practice under
the tradition for the time being, but let
us never lose sight of the fact that we
cannot live a a democracy if, in normal
times. we allow anybody to say who
shall be educated, and how.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
s unQ
B q S G.
7 q ken
BY #BRYDON TaVFS

GEN. MACARTHUR HEAD
QUARTERS Australia. Dee. 15-
CUP1-Alhed foes IN no2thcr stern
New Guinea. havna canmred Buna
village ana beaten Oft The Jana
rCse n&Hy's strongest effort 10
bring in more troops toda7 began
,he mopping up operation Of takina
the BWa mission an strip ana
WiDing out isolated enemy strong
points
Occupauon OF Runa by American
forces. announced in today's COM
mlmique. ended toar weeks Of
fighting for this strongest enemy
position in tie area. The fact that
the enem. submitted two of his
cruisers and three Of his destroyers
"a two davs Of bombing and straf-
ing b. Gen. Douglas MacArthurs
ain force. Indicated lie desperate
need of Japanese ground units for
helm and supplies.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
LET'S RATION RED TAPE
(Oroville Mercury Register)

(OrOVllle Mercury ReglStef)
Grocers Of Little Rock, Ark, have a
good suggestion. They propose Red
Tape Day" once a week. On that day all
groceries would close and spend the day
filling out government questionnaires,
Strengthening out ration book coupons
and checking price ceilings. Retailers say
it takes the full 40-hour week Of one man
to keep this red tape untangled If the
whole crew worked on it for one day
each week the store could be more nor
NAL for trade on the other days.
We have bookkeeper who would well
come such a plan, and probably there
are a lot more in OrOville.
Red tape has purpose, of course. 1t
is designed to make it possible to check
up on the cheaters, the grafters and the
people who don't care" Also, it gives
jobs to government statisticians, of which
there must be many thousands. A certain
amount of red tape is necessary, but we
imagine that the bright minds in Wash
ington wake up every morning with new
statistical ideas, half Of which are never
tabulated, although they compel the
waste Of man hours in every establish
ment of that classification in every city,
town and village in the United States
Here's to the elimination Of all the
red tape possible. Let's ration it, and re-
Quire a permit before any can be used.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Ry NJ. :. HANDLER

MOSCOW. Dec. 10. tUP)-Ihe
Red army. killing more than 5000
franticaly communicating Ger
mans in the last pa hours, captured
another village southwest of Stain
grad today.
Pushing steadily ahead northwest
of Stalingrad, the Russians occupied
several important hills and destroy
ed numerous German gun emplace-
ments.
More than 500 Germans were kill
ed as the Russians stormed into
the village, the Soviet noon COM
munique said. The Russians cap
tured so Germans, three tanks, 4O
guns and food and munition dumps.
Front-line reports said the Ger
mans were making nonstop coun-
terattackS southwest of Stalingrad,
and in the RZhev area, on the Gen.
tral front. But in the last "a hours,
they gained for the Germans only
one small advance southwest OF
Stalingrad.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Il, EDWARD ". BEATTTE

LONDON. Dec. 70. IUPl = Int
German Afrika KorpS, hotly pur-
sued across Tripolitania by the
British Eighth Army, may be pre-
pairing to forfeit its great base at
Tripoh without a fight and retire
into Tunisia for a last stand, front
DISPATCHES said today.
There were unconfirmed reports
here chat Marshal Erwin Rommel
himself had abandoned his retreat
nip army after the British break
through at FL Agheila and had gone
10 Bizerte to take charge of the
defense of Tunisia. Axis troops and
supplies already are pouring into
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Inquiry Launched
Into Sinking Of
Yankee Troop ShiI,

WASHINGTON, Dec. l5.-UPD
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox
said today that d naval board OF
inquiry is investigating the cir
cumstances surrounding loss OF the
liner President Coolidge, which was
sunk by a mine liz the South Pa
cific recently.
Knox. asked at a press confer
cnce about reports that the Coolidge
had struck an American mine, sald
he had no information on that.
"Eyentually we will get the full
story Of whose fault it vas he
said. But there is a question OF
possible fault"
The President Coolidge was un-
der charter as an army transport
and had 1000 troops aboard when
it atrick mine. Only four men
! were lost.
CLOSE TO SHORE
When a repOrt"r sugpeGted that
the small loss o. .ifc indr1 &c that
! The ship Was close - shore Or IN
Eort an@ therrf~~o nad HI an
American nine. Knox replied
! 1T IS very reasonable IN 'u"d-
lion that the shin was clos to
chore nu+ as for the latter pr of
your conclusion that might mo- hold
/ true"
He pointed out that japanese
submarine could streW mines in
the same waters where American
mines we're located.
Asker for a more specific l9ca-
tion Of the President COOLIDGE sink
in. he said the vessel went down
in the SolomonS area.
Discussing recent American aerial
assaults on the new japanese air
base at Munda in New Georgia is
land, $50 miles northwest OF Quad
alcanal, Knox said, we're watching
that place pretty closely"
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
NEXT OBJECTIVE

Observers here forecast that when
the Buna-Gona area is completely
cleaned up. MacArthur'S forces will
move against the japanese INSTALL
ationS- mostly air hases-at Sala-
maua and Lac, the remaining Jap
aneSe footholds III New Guinea
These towns are on tie Huon Gulf,
$50 miles by air northwest from
Buna.
That will be another campaign,
but use of the Buna Mission air
strip by Allied planes, IS expected
to make it easier.
Buna Village was taken at 10
o'clock Monday morning. Occupa =
ton was preceded by heavy NOR
tar barrage.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
JAPS HOLD OUT

These ground forces continued to
hold out today in the Buna Mission
area. 10 miles from the village. and
also around Sanananda, few miles
northwest There, however, Ameu-
can and Australian patrols had
pushed Japanese outposts back
oCwn the Soputa- -Sanananda trail
to a spot two miles from Sana-
nanda.
The outposts were caught between
two Allied forces. Another group
OF Australians. fighting down the
beach from Coma, which they took
las week, were moving against
Sanananda from another direction.
There also was continued Japa
nese resistance southeast of the
Buna area, around Cape Eudaia-
dere
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15

tions in the Tunisian mountains.
In those mountains, If Rommel
failed to stop the advance of the
British Eighth Army through Libya,
be could Join with Nehring, the Axis
commander holding the Tunis-Biz-
erte area of northeastern Tunisia,
for last stand Of the Axis ON the
African continent.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
GERMANS FIRE ON
ITALIAN WOMEN

LONDON, Dec. 15.-U.P) )-The
Moscow radio said today that Ger
man officers, stoned by women az
Milan, had opened fire and that
Italian soldiers had disarmed and
beaten them.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
SHIPS LEAVE TRIPOLI

Allied air reconnaissance deter
mined that for three days small
transports, including even sailing
vessels, have been arriving at Gades,
on the east Tunisia coast, from
Tripoli.
Spanish advices from AlgierS re-
ported heavy motor traffic along
the Axis held -Tunisian coast
and said several German columns
were moving into the hills where
they could command the railroad
from GafSa, 95 miles inland, to
Mahares, SO miles up the coast.
"a United Press dispatch from
Allied headquarters in North Afri-
ca said the ferCciouS aerial olfenS-
i've of the American Army air force
had been intensified because it was
known that heavy German REIN
fOrcemcnts were arriving in Tunisia,
some of them in transport planes
and glidersD
1t was indicated that Rommel,
Axis commander in chief III Africa,
intended to consolidate strong posi-
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
SHIPS FLEEING

The two japanese cruisers and
three destroyers, badly battered,
were steaming north toward the
encny base at GaSmata, New Brit
ain. Gasmata is 1870 miles north
west Of Ambush Point on the
mouth Of the Mabare estuary,
where the Warships tlied to land
reinforcements yesterday. Another
landing effort was made at the
mouth Of the Kumusi estuary.
1t was believed that the Japa-
rese did succeed in landing lew
reinforcenaents and some supplies,
hut the warships and landing
barges were hit repeatedly BY bombs
and several barges were sunk. Sup
plies stacked on the beach were
blasted with machine gun and aer-
ial cannon fire. Other supplies,
apparently oil drums laShed TO-
eether IN nets, were bombed on the
water. Some exploded. Others were
seen floating out to sea, Many jap
arCse soldiers were seen swimming
IN the water. some without lie
Jackets and number OF bcoieS
were cast up on the beach.
All the way from Madang. 800
miles up the New Guinea coast
from Bun9, the convoy was bombed
and strafed for Two days. Fortress
and Liperator planes picked 1t up
Sunday in the t!eacaerous Vitiaz
straits, scoring Eits and near miss
es. Pilots of the heavy bombers
call the straits "Hari Kari Alley,
because so many enemy ships have
been destroyed in them.
The convoy did not get any closer
than II miles from the BUna-Gona
alea.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
Reds Kill 5000
Attacking Nozis

said. 300 Germans killed and five
of their tanks burned.
Despite counterattacks the Soviet
offensive on the central front roll
ed on West of R2heV. l25 miles
northwest of Moscow. the Germans
threw fresh infantry and tank
forces into their effort to stop the
Russians. Six counterattackS were
repulsed. the noon communique as
serted, 400 of the enemy wiped out
and three heavy tanks destroyed.
Having encircled the enemy gar
rison at Velikie Luki, $50 miles
west and slightly north of Moscow,
the Russians were Systematically
destroying it.
GERMANS DESTROYED
The noon communique reported
Russian successes near the German
held Novorossisk naval base in the
Black sea. Soviet artillery and
trench mortars destroyed nine dug
outs, three trench mortars and II
trucks in the Novorossisk area,
while snipers have killed 1875 Ger
mans in three days, it said.
Last midnight's communique re-
ported Russian gains southeast OF
Tuapse naval base. which the Rus
slams hold, just below NoVoroSsisk.
The Russians cleared the Germans
from one height in that area and
killed 200, the midnight communi-
que said.
The midnight communique also
reported additional Soviet gains IN
factory area of Stalingrad and
revealed that AZ enemy planes, in
Guiding 33 big transports with which
the Germans have been trying to
supply their harried forces, were
shot down in the Stalingrad area on
Sunday.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
TANKS, GUNS TAKEN

Besides losing more than 5000
men in counter-a attacks on the Stall
ingrad and central fronts, the Ger
mans lost "A tanks and AZ guns,
captured or destroyed.
They Paid 1000 lives, seven tanks
and II guns for their advance south
west of Stalingrad. Dispatches sale.
the gain was in the direction of a
number of settlements. Trying to
exploit their success, the Germans
counterattacked in the same area
again and again. Russian artillery
broke up tanks and infantry before
they reached Red lines, however,
costing the Germans on one sector
800 more killed and five more tanks.
The Stalingrad garrison attacked
in a factory area during the night,
occupied a number of buildings,
killed so Germans and captured boo
ty, the noon cOmmunique said. 1t
reported a German counterattack
on one sector northwest of Stain
grad, but said the Russians repulsed
it, pursued the Germans into their
trenches and killed 200
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
WATER SCARCE

Whether the Allies will win Tri-
poll without a fight depends chief
~ on whether the Germans can re-
inforce the Afrika KorpS before
Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery,
commander of the British Eighth
Army, overcomes the problem of
maintaining communications and
providing water for his rapidly ad-
vancing forces. Front dispatches
indicated that might cause the
British more trouble than Axis re-
sistance. There are only scattered
water wells between Ell Agheila and
Misurata. toward which the British
are moving.
Once past Misurata, the British
would find it easier going. The
land between Misurata and Tripoli
is cultivated and we'll populated and
The Eighth Army could find sup
plies.
Whatever MAJ be Rommel's plans
for Tripoli, there is no doubt that
the Axis is making a determined at
tempt to reinforce its Tunisia army.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15

This the holiday finds millions of our coWCitzcns
in the armed forces millions in the factories and spynds
who those gallant the front.
There finer Christmas gift that can be fighting
than the greatest output possible of planes ships and
plies bringing Victory closer.
The Long Distance lines of the Nation serving this gigantic
program by handling tremendous number OF calls the greatest
in telephone history.
Big the network of Long Distance lines has no margins
this year for purely personal calls more lines be con-
The copper and other materials that would require
needed still more by our fighting
In months your cooperation in keeping Long Distance
calls to the essential has hc ped to keep these lines clear Tor
calls. We ask that continue this assistance the ho
days especially TO warblsy please make only calls that
necessary
We appreciate your friendly help and understanding
@&6 The Victory loo" Drive o"-"Hh you invest i" our
National security through the Victory loan?"
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TELEPHONE COMPANY
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
ATTACKS REPULSED

Northwest of Stalingrad, Soviet
artillery dispersed and partly wiped
out a battalion $1,000 mem of the
enemy and blew up an ammunition
dump.
-Four successive German counter
attacks were repulsed southwest of
Stalingrad, the noon communique
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
I 7rrripoIi May Fall Soon

heavily as they fled westward along
the coastal road from Ell Agheila
and listed the 18th and 21St panZer
divisions, the 54th German mfan-
try division and German light
division as being among the retreat
ing troops.
The italian high command broad
cast a report that Naples was bomb
ed last night, indicating the Allies
may still be attempting to choke
Off Axis reinforcements from Italy,
but there was no confirmation OF
the report from Allied sources.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15
PRESSURE GROWS

The Axis was under heavy pres
sure all along the North African
battle line. American planes hanl-
mered at German bases on the 1u-
nisian coast and The RAF gave the
Afrika korps no respite.
Radio Morocco broadcast Il report
that the Germans were suffering
Imperial Valley press., 1942-12-15

eastern Tunisia from Tripoli, front
dispatches said, indicating that
Adolf Hitler considered the Tunl-
sian bridgehead more important
tnan a defense of what is left OF
Benito Mussolini's African empire.
Evening star., 1942-11-19
Pacific
Continued From First Page)

In but not unduly excited by the
appearance of eight Japanese de-
stroyers off the north coast of New
Guinea yesterday. They said it was
to be expected that enemy task
forces would be encountered from
time to time. But, they declared, it
requires considerable time and or
ganization to assemble a major
armada such as was beaten back
last week.
Delay Aids Allies.
In the meantime, the delay will
give United States forces an op-
portunity to replace their relatively
small losses and build up their
strength for what Secretary Knox
already has labeled round 3 (com-
ing up) of the battle for the Solo,
mons.
In fact, 1t would not be surprising
to many informed persons here if
the Marines and Army troops on
Guadalcanal took aggressive ad-
vantage of the enemy's predicament
to improve their own positions
which still encompass only a small
area OF land about the airport on
the north coast of the island.
The last report on land fighting
on Guadalcanal, covering activities
OF November 10, said the United
States troops were conducting often
sive operations on both their eastern
and western f1anks. The failure of
the Japanese, already outnumbered,
to land any considerable reinforce
ments in their big push last Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday would
seem to leave their forces open to
attack, especially since it will be
Evening star., 1942-11-19

were said to be accepted by the
junta as signs of doom for Ger
many.
Two Alternatives Seen.
The informant said the military
group was betting on these alterna-
tives:
/. In case of stalemate or peace
they will be able to eliminate Hitler
with Allied blessings and perhaps
establish another government, pos
sibly monarchistic.
2. In case of outright German de-
feat they will be in a position by
isolation of Hitler to ask the Allies
to accept the junker class as the
nucleus Of new government and
would seek to convince the United
States and Britain that they should
be left with sufficient military
strength to constitute a German
watchdog against Russia"
The principal figures mentioned
in the informant's outline of the
junta's activities have been men
toned many times in previous re-
ports Of dissension in the ranks of
the German high command.
Gen. Won Brauchitsch, dismissed
nearly a year ago, has since been
reported called back by Hitler for
consultation in various matters but
has never been restored fully to his
former position.
Won Beck Report Denied.
Gen. Won Book was reported to
have been removed from his COM
mand several weeks ago. Berlin has
specifically denied that he had been
arrested.
Gen. Won Mannstein, conqueror of
Sevastopol, has been mentioned in
German announcements as leading
troops on the Volga front, either as
successor to Gen. Won Book or as a
local commander there.
Gen. Halder, chief of the staff of
the German Army, was reported to
have been removed at the same time
as Gen. Won Book and replaced by
Gen. Alfred Jodl, who has been a
special military adviser to Hitler.
Gen. Won Rundstedt, withdrawn
from the Russian front, was last re-
ported made overseer of all German
defenses in the west, facing the
Channel and North Sea.
Gen. Blaskowitz, a German hero
OF the Polish campaign, was report
ed several months ago living in re-
tlrement In Paris or Northern
France, where he had withdrawn
after disagreeing with Hitler.