The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1943-02-18
DIARY OF THE WAR

offing within next few months Ros-
TOW was apparently on verge Of fall
ING to Russian armies and recapturc
Of Kharkov was also imminent. Reds
were making great progress. Loco
vaya was taken, cutting a vital com
munication center below Kharkov. II
was disclosed there are half a mil
lion troops in Africa. British Eighth
army was striking 20 miles inside
border of Tunisia. They We're 45 miles
from Mareth line. An Allied force
drove an Italian section back eight
miles in Tunisia A ten-day military
conference of British, American and
Chinese leaders was completed. Slim
son limited new blows at Axis were
coming and declared nation must
steel itself for heavy American
casualties.
SAYURDAY-Russian forces cap
tured krasnodar. metropolis in eau
casus where 10000 German troops
were all but isolated. The Reds in
Donets basin oveTan two other towns.
one 70 miles from Mariupol, on the
Azov. Snow and rain hampered fight
ing in North Africa but British
commando raid on Bizerte was sue
cessful. American bombers raided
Jap bases in Pacific at Munda. A de-
layed dispatch announced U. S. air
men sank three Jap destroyers and
damaged four others while enemy was
trying to evacuate Japs from Guadal-
canal Allies continued their push in
New Guinea. Allied air offensive went
on strongly against Germany over oc-
cupied territories, hitting naval base
at WilheImshaven German papers
were minimizing the damage to the
French War fleet at Toulon last No
vember
SUNDAY-Russians swept around
. kharkov to cut the Kharkov- Bryansk
rail line and captured a town 20 miles
northwest Of city. Germans were
burning Rostov apparently preparing
to ovacuate the city. British troops
chung to positions in Tunisia and
hurled back strong German attacks
The British Eighth army was Smelling
rear guard of Marshal Rommel. Al
lied airmen bombed enemy guns and
strafed troops. Some sources believed
{ German generals had taken over cam
paign from Hitler, but most people
felt Hitler was not dead. as previous
" reported, In Pacific American
bombers smashed Jap base at Munda
three times. Two L. S. forces met on
Guadalcanal meaning the last member
Of Jap resistance had ceased.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS acknowledged
fall Of both Rostov and Voroshilov-
grad. 1t was fourth time Rostov. city
Of 100000, had changed hands in this
war, and was second of four prin-
cipal Nazi bastions of defense. Kursk
fell last week and Kharkov was near
falling. Red troops We're also threat
ening Orel. Entire German defensive
line was crumbling rapidly. Raj
plastered Lorient, German sub base,
twice in one night and there were in
dications of large raid on Italian
cities. 1t was disclosed Americans
killed 6,066 Japanese and captured
l27 in final smashing on GuadaI-
canal, A new Jap stand in Solomons
was indicated when Allied planes ran
into stiff opposition in Shortlands
area. Munda was raided again. Allied
airmen over North Africa bagged 6
Nazi transport planes enroute north
over Mediterranean. Allies dashed
Japs in a Burma village Thirty
bombers gave Rabaul one of the
heaviest raids Of war.
TUESDAY - German counter-at-
tacks aimed at breaking the Red grip
around Kharkov were beaten off.
Other Red army units were going
forward in Donets river basin where
thirty more populated places were re-
captured. Flying fortresses bombed
Palermo in Sicily. American and Ger
man forces were locked in violent
fighting in Tunisia where Nazi tanks
had broken through for more than
twenty miles imperiling the American
anchor position at Gafsa. Rommel
tanks were said to be among those in
the attack. The British army which
drove him out of Libya was still 200
miles south of the scene. Several
French warships including 35,000-ton
battleship Richeleu, arrived in q. S.
harbors for repairs. British bombers
struck in force at Cologne, Milan and
Spezia, and Dunkerque Eleven bomb
ers were missing. Bombers in Pacific
area raided Dobo on Aroe island with
such effect that Japs were forced to
abandon the base. Bombers also kept
up pounding against Rabaul. Jap and
L. S. planes clashed over Shorthand
area. U. S. planes also bombed Kiska
in Aleutians.
Observation-Disclosures captured
city of Kharkov, topping most pow
erful Nazi base in southern Russia
and imperiling all German forces east
Of Dnieper river. They reported city
of Orel was also half encircled U. S.
planes pounded St. Nazaire, U-boat