Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-14
R|Ck<ENBACKER> 5 OTHERS FOUND IN PACIFIC
Tunisio Showdown Approaches
As Allies Close In on Enemy;
Nozis, Jops in Urgent PorIeys
British Forces Drive
RommeI 40 Miles
Beyond Tobruk
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Nov. 14.-The hour
Of showdown In Tunisia had
struck today with British and
American forces sweeping toward
a German Italian vanguard that
already was under stubborn at
tack by the French defenders OF
Tunis.
As the Axis outlook darkened, its
European chieftains were disclosed
to have called the Japanese into
urgent conferences of an import
as yet undisclosed.
Berlin broadcasts said the heads
of all Japanese missions to Europe
had been assembled in Berlin since
November 10-two days after the
American coup in Northwest Africa
and had been in session ever since
studying the development both as
regards Europe and East Asia.
(Such a conference at this
hour when the European end of
the Axis had little good to report
suggested strongly that Hitler
might be calling his Oriental ally
to his aid-perhaps to open
second front" against Russia in
Siberia, or begin diversion
attack on British India or Occu-
riAd MADAGASCAR.
(This was directly in line with
reports heard in Turkey at the
outset of the new North African
campaign that the Nazi feuhrer
had urged Toxic to ease his po-
sition by attacking Madagascar
but these reports declared that
the japanese had refused on the
ground that they did not have
the naval and shipping strength
available for such an undertake
ing)
The Evening Standard carried an
UNOFFICIAL report that the Allies are
moving parachute troops toward
Tunisia for use against Axis units
which have seized airdromes there.
The source of the report was not
given. -
Algiers broadcasts heard in Lon
don said ancient Tunis had two
more AFRAID alerts before dawn
as Allied planes kept up their blows
at an airdrome near the city where
Nazi parachutists won foothold.
From the east. where the British
have raced on to the Gazala region
40 miles beyond recaptured Tobruk,
the Axis was still hardpressed-and
admitted it. The German high COM
mand said the 9Th Army still was
attacking with undiminished force"
and the Italians said they were
under heavy enemy pressure"
Street Fighting Indicated.
Field dispatches indicated street
fighting within Tunis and clashes at
other strategic centers of the French
protectorate as the garrisons rose to
combat the Axis infiltrations with
which Hitler hoped to blunt the
North African pincers.
Military developments piled up
swiftly.
Evidently referring to the van
guard of 1t. Gen. K. A. N. Ander-
sons British American legion, Reu-
tiers announced in a Tangier dis
patch that British troops had moved
into Tunisia from Algeria.
This allied drive to the east was
tactically coupled with contin-
ued westward advance into Libya by
the British 9th Army on the trail
of the fleeing remnants of Marshal
Erwin Rommel's Africa Corps.
Appeal to Colonists.
The swing of French colonials in
Tunisia to the Allied side followed
repeated appeals by such leaders as
Admiral Darlan, Gen: Henri Honore
Giraud and Gen. Auguste Nogues
for their collaboration with the
armies of occupation and liberation
Gen. Giraud, who is forming 9
French North African army for the
Allied cause, was reported by the
Paris radio to have been fired on yes
terday by two young French nava
officers who denounced him as q
traitor. Both missed and they were
disarmed and immediately shot BY
Americans" the broadcaster said.
It was apparent that French
hatred for the Germans had flarec
up in Tunisia to precipitate a battle
Dispatches relayed through Alice
headquarters in North Africa sale
the Germans were reported to have
landed 12-ton tanks in Tunisia by
planes and were trying desperately
to reinforce the advance detach'
ments by sea.
Chutists Control Airdrome.
Nazi parachute troops were de-
clared in control of the airdrome o
Tunis, on the Gulf of Tunis. 81
miles east of the Algerian frontier
Suicide squads might seek to holt
it for both aerial offensive opera
lions and the embarkation of an.
of Marshal Rommels refugees wh'
survived the Libyan rout.
French radio broadcasts, withou
confirmation from Allied quarters
said a naval battle was In progress
Oh American-occupied Algiers ant
that Axis planes caused damag
and civilian casualties In severa
raids ON Bone, Algerian way station
. Of the drive toward Tunisia.
A dispatch from La Linea, Spain
was quoted by the Vichy radio q
authority for the report Of tn
. naval battle. It said that confrma
ton Of the report was seen in tn
departure of British naval and al
units from Gibraltar yesterday.
Allied headquarters did not men
ton q surface clash In Its com
munique last night, but reporte'
II Axis planes had been shot dow
by the RAJ and Allied naval gun
during Thursdays air attacks o.
, Bougie, between Algiers and Bone
while mystery yelled the mail
(see AFRICA, Page A-2J