Evening star., 1943-09-14
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by the Germans, the country is
rough and suitable for delays as a
result of demolitions. London circles
said it was difficult to predict when
the forces near Salerno could ex-
pect help from the south. Cosenza
is 90 miles from Reggie Calabria.
On the heel of the boot one Brit
ish column was at Bari and another
cutting diagonally across the heel
from Taranto, was at Gioja, about
midway between the naval base and
Bari.
Nazis Pour Down Heavy Fire. II
The American and British, troops
composing Gen. Clark's army who
were landed on the coastal plain
south of Salerno were fighting des-
perately in the mountains from
which the Germans were pouring
down q murderous tire on the in
vasion beaches.
The Nazis were launching count
| erattack after counterattack seek
ing to dislodge the Allied infantry
and tank units. III
The fighting Is extremely heavy
and it certainly is the bitterest land
fighting encountered by an Allied
landing force in this war q mill
tary officer said.
The reconstructed Hermann Goer-
ing Division, the same one which
gave the Americans and British so
much trouble in Northern Tunisia
near Medjez el Bah and in Sicily,
and the 18th and 18th Armored Di-
visions, among the best the, Ger
mans have, were contesting the
American advance.
The communique did not specify
where the Nazi advances had been
made. ..ss...
In the fierce struggle In the
Naples-Salerno sector, the Allies
still had air superiority, but the Ger
mans had closer airfields, permitting
them to fly many sorties q day with
a small number of planes. The
Allied bridgehead Is not yet deep
enough to support airdromes.
Flying hundreds Of sorties, Allied
planes, including every type from
ABS Invaders to Flying FortresSes,
attacked Nazi bases and conveys
and 10 enemy planes were destroyed
yesterday.
In a dispatch filed from the 5th
Army front late yesterday, Rey-
nolds Packard, representing the
combined American press, said the
Americans had pusned forward sew
eral miles yesterday on the south
ern sector of the Salerno front and
had repulsed a suicidal" German
counterattack in the center which
had cost the Nazis the heaviest
losses they have yet suffered In Italy.
The Allies also consolidated both
their northern and southern fianks,"
the dispatch said.
Highway Changes Hands.
9 1t added that the Germans had
temporarily regained-at high cost
a portion of the Salerno Gulf
highway which had changed hands
several times. ..:-
The air and sea superiority which
the Allies held in the south was
great military advantage, for it per-
mitted them to hop along the coast
and dump men and material ashore
at almost any point and at the
same time deny similar privilege
to. the Germans.
1t was becoming increasingly ap-
parent, however, that Hitler was
stalking the future of Nazi Germany
on the ancient backgrounds OF his
one-time Axis partner.
From the cloudy military and po-
litical situation on the italian main-
land the best information available
gave this picture:
l. Germany, with Is to 20 divi-
sions in Italy at the start OF the
campaign, has poured into the
Italian boot tens of thousands more
soldiers drawn from France and
possibly Russia.
This, combined with the reported
appointment Of Field Marshal Erwin
Rommel as commanding of1cer in
Italy, indicates that Germany is
establishing battle line which
may satisfy even the Russian con-
cept Of second front"-orle which
will engage at least so Nazi divisions
2-The Germans also are reinforc-
ing their air strength in Italy.
3-Despite Italian surrender the
Germans have firm grip on all
strategic points from Naples north
to the Po River, where great ANAL
battle may we'll decide the war.
| 4-The Americans are launched
on a campaign which seems likely
to be their biggest and bloodiest of
the war and the biggest for British
troops since the fall of France.
5-The Allies enjoy definite edge
on the sea and In the air, while the
Germans for the time being prob
ably have land superiority, al
though they are having 4 difncult
time moving their troops to meet
Allied thrusts In several directions.
6-Little help can be expected
from the Italians, who are tired OF
fighting.
! 7-If Germany is defeated IN Italy
1t likely means the collapse OF hel
satellites in the Balkans. i
The possibility that the war may
be decided in Italy is baasd on the
fact that the Germans seem de-
termined to make major stand
there. II defeated at the Po thu
Germans. being military reaAsts
may we'll give up to keep their co,in.
try from being overrun and laid
waste.