Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
African Front

y
African Front
The Axis forward march across Tu-
nisia continued through last Monday.
when strong German armored forces
thrust II miles northwestward through
Kasserine Pass-which lies almost on the
Tunisian Algerian border-and headed
toward Thala, Is miles north. guarded
by British soldiers. Thala is the gate
way, strategically located, to the Krem-
amsa Plateau. In possession of 1t. the
Axis could have struck at the rear of
Allied troops holding Ousseltia and en-
dangered the communication system of
the Allies in Northern Tunisia.
But the Axis did not gain it. The
magic of Mark VI tanks ran out on Tues
day. The Rommel supply line was spread
long and thin. He was stopped by Brit
fish at Thala and by the Yanks on the
road to Tebessa, Algeria
The Associated Press war correspond
Brooklyn boys in
Ionkees Scott Yankee uniforms
At Bio Tonks filled with contempt
for the German
fighters Them Mark vi tanks are
bush league stuff" they said. We're
waiting for those krauts to trot out some
Mark Wis and Wis" The Mark VI is
the biggest tank on record and the spirit
of Brooklyn soon was triumphing against
It. A Nazi column of 40 tanks, motorized
infantry and mobile guns making stab
westward from Kasserine toward Tebes-
ga. in Algeria ran into a murderous
American fire on the road winding past
the Djebel HANNA. On Wednesday
Rommel was headed back toward Kas-
serine, and the question during the rest
of the week was how far would Rommel
be forced to withdraw.
The airplane melted Rommel's ambi-
ton for action beyond Kesserine. First,
the Axis was weakened by the Allied
stands at Thala and Djebel HANNA.
Then through the sky roared the mes
sengers of Air Marshal Tedder, the air
commander under African Commander
In Chief Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Maj. Gen. Carl Spaatz, U. S. A., was in
immediate charge of the sky fight for
Kasserine.
through the Kasserine into an inferno
of exploding bombs
Terrific Air and machine-gun fire.
Attack Wins Flying Fortresses-
usually used only for
heavy bombardment Of airflelds and
ports-joined in the attack. They
smashed tons of bombs on the roads
along which Rommel was attempting to
withdraw. The Raj and the 18th
American Army Air Force both were
we'll represented. With Fortresses were
Joined twin -motored Marauders, Mitchels
and Bostons and light planes like Hur-
ricane bombers, Lightnings, Airocobras
and Spitfres They poured machine-gun
and cannon fire into trucks and raked
the roadside bitches to kill Germans
who might be hiding there. They ranged
along the Axis front from Kasserlne to
Sbeitla and behind Kasserine to Feriana
Kasserine Pass is miles long. British
Thursday, and the battle between the
mountain heights was on BY Saturday
the Germans had resigned the pass to
the Allies American and Dutch air.
planes hammered at the Germans III the
pass while Gen. Sir Harold Alexander,
British commander of Allied ground
forces in North Africa, organized a
three pronged land offensive against the
Axis in Central Tunisia. One prong OPP
Grated in Kasserine. A second pene-
trated a pass east of Sbiba, 80 miles
north of kasserine, and a third threat
ened Sbeitla, 18 miles northeast of Kas
serine. Rommel took Sbeitla 10 days ago
In his 66-mile dash from Faid Pass al
most to the Algerian border.
The air superiority of the Allies in the
region of battle prevented sufficient re-
Inducements from getting through to
Rommel In Kasserine. Rommel gambled
ana lost. He thought he could establish
a position beyond Kasserine and thus
strengthen himself UNNECESSARILY for the
coming fight with the 9th Army Of Gen.
Montgomery. and he lost. Montgomery
- tapping az tiic A'Aoi ecii A-'iio' "iiiN1l
Is defended by Rommel. Apparently
Montgomery is waiting for supplies be-
fore he joins the fight anew on a major
scale.
For the Nazis the fight in Tunisia
Is Ike the fight the feudal baron's men
made in front Of the portcullls outside
the moat. 1t is to stave off for as long
as possible the actual fight against the
fortress, IN this case Europe itself. The
Mediterranean is the moat defended
from Tunlsla. There are other meats,
however, and il is not unlikely that they
will be crossed before the campaign in
TunlSla is ended
Events IN Tunisla during the past
week won the praise Of Secretary Of
War StlmSon. The most significant
feature Of the entire operation" he said
has been the fine rcac ION Of our
ground forces, tanks, infantry and ar
tllery when faced by modern war
against veteran troops. Not only we're
they not broken by the German advance
but, when called upon TO COunterattack
they came back with a vlgor which the
Germans were unable to withstand.
The Secretary said that the Tunisiar
campaign during the past two week.