The Wrangell sentinel., 1943-07-16
Roosevelt, Churchill Demand Italy Surrender
 Or Be Blasted Out Of War As Allies Advance
By Associated Press

ho0seVelC ana Prime mlIllS-
 ter Churchill in virtual ultima
 tums released simultaneously
 here and in London this morn
 ing gave Italy the choice of
 surrendering honorably or be blasted out of the war.
 The statement was radio
 beamed to Italians and drop
 ped in thousands of propaganda
 ealflets. It said It Is time
 for the people to decide wheth-
 CT Italians want to die for Mus Solini and Hitler or live for
 Italy and civilization.
 The statement pointed out
 the aerial and naval domination
 of the Allies and said the sole
 hope of Italy's survival "lies
 in honorable capitIQation' as
 the Allies are determined to
 destroy false leaders and doc
 trines which brought Italy to
 its present position
 The request for surrender came while the Italian mainland had been subjected to unusually heavy air i assaults on Naples and northern Italy by Allied planes Palermo, on Sicily, where the Allies have con- tinued steady advancement since in vasion last week, was also heavily attacked.
 The RAF carried out raids on targets in northern France and Germany concentrating on railway communication.
 Allied forces-American, British and Canadian landed on Sicily three miles across Messina strait from the mainland of Italy. last Friday night and early Saturday orRinmg. News of the landing was released at 12:45 a. m Washington time. last Saturday The forces met terrific resistance, finding beaches lined with barbed wire, but sup ported with incessant bombing from the air, and bombardment from nav al ships at sea, the Allies moved rapidly into position and ultimate control of the island, one of the key points of the Mediterranean.
 The operation, second major slash in the invasion of Europe, was in command of Gen. Dwight Eisen- hover. American general who car ried out successfully the invasion of North Africa.
 Allied headquarters in North Af- rica announced that American troops have plunged seven miles deeper into Sicily's mountains in a race with British coastal armies striking toward Catania plain where Allied paraehutists and glid- CT troops dropped behind the en- emy's lines for what is expected to be a major battle.
 The Americans, under Ut. Gen. Patton, Jr., captured another air drome and had reached the Vizzini area, 25 miles inland from Augusta, the British base for the drive on Catania to the north.
 1 Another Italian general, com handing the fiery Fourth Napoli I |, south of Vizzini.
 General Sir Montgomery's Brit ish Canadian Eighth army was fighting along the coast after re- pulsing a stiff Axis counter attack which temporarily broke British lines early Wednesday. 10 reach Augusta. By noon Wednesday the British had ejected the Germans and plunged on to take Brueoli four miles above Augusta Their next objective was Lentini on the edge of the plain, 13 miles below Catania port which is half way a long the road to the important prize of Messina opposite the toe of Italy.
 Lentini, and nearby CaTlentini. were already smouldering from heavy British naval bombardments and dispatch from an Associated Press naval correspondent said AL lied air-borne troops had landed on the plain above Lentini A hard fight was expected to be- gin at Lentini. if it had not already begun, as Axis troops, including units of the Hermann Goering di- vision stroye to cheek the British sweep on Catania. Catania is a communications hub for roads lead l ing into the interior and Sicily's second city. A headquarters com munique said considerable gains , had been made by the land armies 3 in the last 24 hours and presumably referring to the fight near Catania t plain. it added that British and American air-borne and parachute sI troops had carried out successful