Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-25
Mediterranean Front

Inc DOmOlng OF Rome on Monday
by large force composed entirely of
American planes largely manned by
members of the Catholic faith brought
the war home to Italy more sensationally
than all the defeats suffered in the past.
Most significant of all was the fact
that the raiders met little resistance,
only two interceptors rising to contest
the attack and the pilots of those, after
looking the situation over, high-tailed it
for points unknown.
Considerable discussion concerning the
raid has followed, with Pope Plus XII
deploring it, declaring that he had hoped
that Rome might be spared an attack
and calling on Catholics everywhere to
pray for the early return of peace.
President Roosevelt and large sec
ton of the Catholic clergy and press
In this country, while expressing regret
that the city had to be bombed, placed
the onus directly on Mussolini, who has
thus far refused to declare Rome an
open city
The attack was directed at the mar
shaling yards through which pass the
reinforcements and supplies carried by
rail to Southern Italy. A tremendous
path of destruction half a mile wide
and two miles long was left after the
bombers had spent several hours leisurely
and carefully placing their bombs on
targets which they had been drilled
carefully to recognize
The campaign to reduce Sicily began
moving with considerable speed last
Monday when American forces captured
CaltanissettG. about halfway across the
midsection Of the island. This marked
on advance of about miles which was
followed by a sharp German counter
offensive which was thrown back with
heavy loss Thousands of italians sur
rendered.
The following day there were definite
signs of mutiny among the Italian troops,
especially those commanded by German
officers and many of the Nazis were killed
as they attempted to prevent surrender
by the Italians.
Emma Falls Wednesday.
Emma the main railroad center through
which most of the traffic east and west
nesday by American and Canadian forces
striking from two directions after heavy
Smelling Tuesday and the doom of all
Western Sicily was sealed thereby. Gen.
Procinari who didn't do very we'll in
Libya, either, fell prisoner along with the
Bath Napol Division,
Thursday, American troops, moving
rapidly along the southern coast of the
island toward the western tip captured
Castelvetrano, which contains one of the
three principal airfelds on the island
and from there the advance continued
until by Friday night the Americans
were almost at Marsala on the tip of the
island. that city falling Saturday.
In the meantime, tie American and
Canadian groups at Emma drove on across
to the northwestern coastal town,
Palermo, the Stiiian capital, which fell
on Friday, thus cutting off the big naval
base at Trapani which was expected soon
to surrender. About 10000 prisoners. in
Guiding the entire Italian 5th Division
we're reported seized at Palermo
During all this advance in the west
ern part of the island the British 9Th
Army was held on the outskirts of
Catania by the fercely fighting Ger
mans. but the failure of the British to
advance has paved the way, perhaps,
for the Americans and Canadians racing
eastward along the north coast to get in
behind the Nazis and entrap them
Aroused to new enthusiasm over the
success in Italy and the prospects of
new moves toward Balkan invasion,
Chetniks in Yugoslavia have opened
full-scale battle against the Nazis, who,
no longer complacent, have been forced
to divert considerable strength to op-
pose this additional threat A desperate
call on Rumania for more help met with
refusal, the government declaring that
Rumania will fight now only to protect
her own borders, having already paid
far too heavy price for her participa-
ton in the war on the Russian front.