Evening star., 1943-05-30
London Paper Says
Greatest Naval
0peration' Is Near
Rome Radio Declares
Mediterranean Isles
Are Allied Objective
BY the Associated Press.

Are Allied Objective
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 29-London news
papers speculated in lively fashion
today on the prospects OF European
invasion, with one saying that The
greatest naval operation in history
is imminent" while the Rome radio |
lugubriously declared that Now the
enemy has chosen Pantelleria, Sicily |
and Sardinia as his objectives.,'
The italian broadcast, recorded |
by the Associated Press, expressed
conviction that Italy was marked
for an invasion attempt soon.
"All British and American war
material at present is constantly |
flowing toward the Mediterranean
area. The enemy has no alterna-
tive" it declared, adding that lit
was contemplated" that a Russian
attack in the Caucasus would be
timed to coincide '"ith the Anglo
American offensive"
The Germans have reported
Russian offensive in the Caucasus
already under way. but the Rus
slams themselves have not confirmed
it officially.
Invasion of Italy Seen.
A military commentator of the
Rome radio asserted that the in
vasion of Italy would be attempted
with thousands of barges full Of
Marines, under an enormous air UNI
brella," but declared that even if
the Allies succeeded in gaining an
initial toehold They would soon
come up against such formidable
defense that they would soon be
thrown back once more"
The Rome broadcast asserted that
the outpost islands of Italy have
been marked as 'objectives," and
said the enemy attempts by air to
neutralize these Italian isles-just
as we wanted to neutralize Malta
by bombing her from the air
The Italian people have not for
gotten that it was announced Of
ficially that numerous landing craft
have been assembled at Bizerte and
Sousse.
The Italian people stand firm ex-
pecting things to come. We know
that formidable issue Is at stake
for us. But equally formidable is
the unknown factor the enemy has
to face
Landing on Continent.
The naval correspondent Of the
London News Chronicle declared
fatty that the greatest naval ope-
ration in history is imminent. 1t
will be landing of an Allied army
on the continent of Europe. The
navy is ready.
Boat builders all over the coun-
try have for many months been con-
structing a great number of in
vasion barges,' he continued
America already has built many
thousands of similar craft. The
construction of millions more tons
of small naval craft is under way"
A headline in the Daily Express
said Next move? We may take
Pantelleria," and afternoon news
papers stressed the Flying Fortress
attack on Leghorn yesterday as the
first blow of the Allied campaign
to bomb Italy herself still more
heavily
In the Balkans. one possible in
vasion route, the Germans reported
that German, Croatian and italian
Army formations are successfully
fighting partisans in the Herzogo-
vinan Mountains in bitter and
bloody engagements, this report
came in Berlin broadcast record
ed by the Associated press.
Yugoslav Guerrrillas Active.
But the Yugoslav government in
exile in London reported that Axis
troops had been driven back 13
miles near Foca on the Drina Riv-
er by guerrilla detachments fight
ing in Montenegro and Bosnia Swiss
reports said Axis soldiers had been
forced to withdraw slightly on
sector farther south.
A Rome broadcast reported from
Sofia that time e-bomb had eXplod-
ed in the home of one Jankieff,
identified by the Germans as chief
radio technician of the Bulgarian
air force, wounding him.
Three of four men, who ran from
the house, were killed and a fourth
is being sought, the broadcast said.
An attempt had been made on
Jankieff's life May 10.
More executions were reported in
the Balkans, with the German ra-
dio listing seven as sentenced to
death in an anti-Communist drive"
in Sofia. and the Moscow radio re-
porting that 10 Yugoslavs had been
executed in reprisal for assassina-
ton of high Fascist officials"
New German restrictions of ship
ping were reported from Norway,
and reports from Stockholm said
the Germans we're sending their
best motorized units as reinforce
mpptS for oorricopc in INecter,,