Evening star., 1943-09-16

Note-The Star is printing. In
daily instailments, Chief of STAFF
George C. MdrshalPs report to the
Secretary OF War on the period
July 1. 1941-June 80, 1913, iust
made public. 1T is a record"
Gen. Marshal Drites, "of Uhat
Das done and Dhy it ,oas done,
and is submitted ,Dhile America
is at toar to permit a better
understanding OF the great
o6ensiUe operations noW in
progress"
The new year opened with the op-
ponents in Tunisia testing each
others strength along the partially
stabilized line and matching each
others bids for air supremacy, both
forces concentrating against ports
and lines of communication.
In Libya, Rommel's Afrika Korps.
with its complement of Italians,
abandoned a succession of defensive
positions, withdrawing finally into
Tripolitania. BY February his
troops were established on the
Mareth Line in Southeast Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Gen. Eisenhower
troops were being re-grouped on the
Tunisian front preparatory to re-
newing the offensive against the
Axis positions. The troops were
under the operational command of
Gen. Anderson, commanding the 1st
British Army. So far as was prac-
ticable, American units were con-
centrated and the French units or
ganized into combat corps. Ger
man thrusts at weakly held French
positions, however, necessitated a
further intermingling of Allied units.
North African Theater Set Up.
Throughout the African operation
up to this time, Gen. Eisenhower
had retained control of the United
States Army forces in the British
Isles, ground and air. This arrange
ment had been continued in order
to afford him a free hand in draw
ing on such resources as we had
established in the United Kingdom.
Plans had been made before the
launching of the African enter
prise to effect separation in Feb
ruary, and this was actually carried
out on February 4 when Gen.
Andrews, a highly specialized air
officer who had been sent to the
Middle East for experience in COM
bat and in contacts with our Allies,
was appointed commander of
the United States forces in the
European theater of operations
with headquarters in London. This
order was paralleled by the crea-
ton of North African theater of
operations, under Gen. Eisenhower.
Upon the arrival of the British
9th Army on the Mareth Line, it
came under the direction of Gen.
Eisenhower. Gen. Sir Harold
Alexander of the British Army was
appointed his deputy and given
direct command of the 18th Army
group, which consisted of the
British It's Army, the British 9th
Army, the United States 2nd Corps,
and the French units on the
Tunisian front.
United Air Forces Organized.
North African air units were
organized into the Mediterranean
Air Command undersAir Chief Mar
shall Sir Arthur Tedder, with Maj.
Gen. (now 1t. Gen) Carl Spaatz of
the United States Army as COM
mander of the Northwest African
Air Force. All heavy bombers. to-
gether with fighter support, were
organized by Gen. Spaatz into the
Strategic Air Force under Gen. Doo-
little. Action was initiated at this
time by Gen. Spaatz to unity COM
mand of light and medium bombers
and fighter support into a force
known as the Tactical Air Force to
lend close support to land and naval
operations. Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Andrew Cunningham became
naval commander In chief in the
Mediterranean under Gen. Eisen-
hower's direction. These Allied
command arrangements led directly
to the victories which soon followed
tbattle of Tunisia and conquest of
Sicily.
The Break Through at Kasserine.
The junction of the veteran
Afrika Korps with Won Arnin's
command in Tunisia permitted the
enemy to launch offensive strokes
against the lightly-held portions of
the long Allied line. On February
IA, hostile armored units reinforced
by artillery and infantry and sup
ported by dive bombers struck west
ward from Faid and broke through
the Kasserine Pass. BY the after
noon of February 81 the Axis forces
had advanced a three-pronged ar
mored thrust 81 miles beyond the
pass, threatening the Allied position
In Central Tunisia. OF this operation
Gen. Eisenhower radioed the fol-
lowing comments:
Our present tactical difficulties
resulted from my attempt to do
possibly too much, coupled with
the deterioration of resistance in
the central mountainous area
which began about January II.
That deterioration has absorbed
the bulk of the United States 1st
and 34th Divisions which forma-
tions had originally been pushed
forward to provide general re-
serves and to permit us to attack
from the line which we were then
holding.
"You would have been impressed
could you have seen the magnifi-
cent display everywhere by the
American enlisted men. I assure
you that troops that come out OF
this campaign are going to be
battle-wise and tactically eff
cient."
Losses on Both Sides.
There were considerable tank
losses on both sides. The enemy
was able to maintain himself in
his forward position for only two
days before he recoiled under a
concentrated attack by our ground
forces powerfully assisted by the
entire Allied air force in North
Africa.
Even the heavy bombers were