The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-02-01
Forces
In N. Africa
Clash
Glraud Expects to
Join Force With
DeGaulle's
(By International News servieel

(By International News Service)
Russia's avenging warriors, hav-
ing virtually wiped out the Nazi
army OF some $4,000 troops that
besieged Stalingrad for three
months, today pushed a two-prong.
ed drive through the Caucasus In n
campaign to annlhilate another
force of probably 800. 000 Hitlerltes.
Killing and capturing so many
men OF Hitler's sixth army at Stain.
grad that only one pocket OF resist.
ance now remains, the Red army
turned its attention to a second
onee.mighty force in the west eau.
essus. Standing only 30 miles from
krasnodar, the Russians threaten
ed to close the gap and trap an
estimated 20 Nazi divisions ruth
west OF Voronezh.
Battle Finished
The battle OF Stalingrad was
considered finished today. with only
a small force lift in the northern
industrial section OF the city and
with the enemy's commander IN
Russian hands. Field Marshal
Friedrich Won Paulus. sixth army
chief, and Is Of his staff generals
were seized In the newest Red
army advances. tine Soviet hIgm
command announced.
In North Africa, a fierce srmor.
ed clash between strong Axis aud
French forces at the southern end
OF the Tunisian front entered its
third day today as American. Brit.
ish and French airmen roared into
the fray. Latest reports indieats.i
that Allied forces had succeeded IN.
countering the NaZi tank ASSAULT
so miles northwest OF Sfar. vital
Axis-held port on the eastern TunE.
sian coast.
IL the Allies succeed In piercing
Axis lines TO reach the coast. they
will have erected . wall betWs~m
the forces OF Field Marshal Erwius
Rommel behind the Little MaEinos
Line OF Mareth and Col. Gen. Won
Arnlm's troops At the gates %
Tunis.
But II the two German armies
manage TO merge, their combines
numbers will total about 200 0ea
men. Gen. Henri Honore GiraaI.
French high commissioner OF Norir
and West Africa. predicted in
review OF the North African war.
May Merge
Revealing that he is organlzinH
an army OF 300 900 men. Girsud
said he expects the smalzamatfon
OF his forces with the Fighting
French Army OF Gen. Charles De.
Gaulle, under Giraud's command.
Each general. however. would 70.
tain leadership in those parts Oe
the French empire now under theit
control. he said
Citing Anglo-American land amt
air strength and the British Nays
supremacy in the Mediterranean.
Giraud declared that II the Ger.
man armies in Tunlsia stand ant
fght' they will be forced to SUI
render or II they try TO flee. viii
be smashed on the sea. "Whate er
they do, they are doomed. the vet
eran general declared.
Meanwhile. az the Allied for,as
northwest OF Sfdx blttied the Ger.
man attempt 10 widen the coastal
corridor with a westward drive To-
ward Sid Bou lid. the Brit'sa
eighth army was reported 70 %
sending more units across the BOIL
er into Tunisia
open Attack
AZ American aifmau and Allied
tanks battered the Max aenorsf
columns 10 prevent them rom 81.
Nancing further westward through
Tunisia the eighth amy iu I51ya
was reported by the German ness
agency 10 have opened up a larzs-
scale attack against RommeTs rear
guard near ZuarJ s. miles west q
Tripoli
In the Southwest Pacific. indisa-
lions OF a new land drive 10 New
Guinea were seen IN an AlHed- com
muniaue that reported new aerial
activity and patrol clashes In The
Mubo area ten miles south o. ia
pans big base az Salamaua and in
the Markham Valley. stretching
northwest from Lac and Salamaus-
This area Is roughly 100 miles north
OF Alliedheld Psupa
Knox Bombed
On GuadaiCanal. recently visited
by Secretary Of the Navy Frank
Knox. the land battle for control
OF the island was moving into its
final phase with American forces
in full pursuit OF Japanese troops.
determination Of the Nippouess
as a fighting unit appears TO be
matter OF only a few weeks
Knox was bombed while on Gus-
dalcanal and again when he visited
Espiritu Santo. he revealed on his
return TO Pearl Ha-bor from a two-
week. $1,000 mile air tour OF the
Pacific.