Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-24
African Front


which three months ago was encamped
in Egypt reached the heights of the
Jebel Nefusa and the Jebel Gharian,
1000 miles from Egypt. From the
heights they could look through a glass
and see the glimmering city of Tripoli,
its beauty already marred by bombing
raids that helped prepare the coming
Of the ground troops. Thus the battle
of Libya, one of the greatest Allied
operations of the war. was ready for its
climax. On Friday the Allies were fight
ing within Tripoli
The squeeze on Tripoli was a move
that showed cooperation among mill
tary forces at its best.
French Aid The ground forces of
In Compoion Mont gomery, with
their tank spearheads,
were the heart Of the campaign. The
air force prepared the way. The
British Navy, operating in the Medi-
terranean, hara9sed vessels carrying
supplies and reinforcements to Romnael,
and on Tuesday British naval light forces
shelled Tripol harhor, where they sank
q II
Libya, Fighting French soldiers from
Lake Tchad advanced northward helping
divert enemy strength from Montgom-
ery's front, and at one point in Algeria
Djanet-these troops made a junction
with the French forces responsible to
Gen. Henri Honore Giraud.
The 9Th Army approached Tripoli in
fura
ranean shore, which completed the pre-
lininaries to the attack on Tripoli self
when it occupied the town of HONS, and
the other operating inland, which ap-
preached Tripoli by Tarhuna along a
road leading through the Castel Benilo
airport south of Tripoli.
Now the Battle of North Africa grows
hot. The mud and the rain no longer
can force the conflicts postponement
Strategically the fight of Tunisia and the
hght of Libya have become one. Prob
lens of terrain and weather still postpone
the day when the Allied 1st Army under
Gen. K. A. N. Anderson can push on
from the Medjez-el-Bab area to force
hhe Nazis out of BiZerte and Tunis. The
initiative in Tunisia in order to hold open
q lane which Field Marshal Rommels
men can traverse in order to join the
other Axis Tunisian forces.
The central point in the Axis Tunisian
drive is Pont du FANS in North Central
Tunisia. There French Army, which
has the steady support of RAP planes,
is trying to hold back german tank
column advance Thes Nazi armored
forces are making t~ofold thrust down
parallel valleys sJhth of Pont du FANS
. in the directaon of the town of OuSselia.
This was interpreted as an effort to
Isolate and then occupy the high ground
between the two valleys.
German occupation of this high
GROUND would provide protection for the
coastal route further
puaIKeeps east along which Rom
AyInt,ct mels forces coul
N'' move in their with
Sraual from Libya In the long retreat
from Egypt Rommel never lost his army
and he kept his main force far enough
IN advance Of Gen. MontgCnery's to in
cure the use of his soldiers if the chance
sno,,ld be offered in Tunisia,
From now on apparently the Axis
schenne is to keep the Allies engaged over
wide expanse of Tunisia for many
months to come and put off to a later
day the time for the hop to Europe
the success or failure of this scheme
will be the principal story of the winter
North Africa continued to be prob
len, in politics. On Tuesday Marcel Pey-
routon. former Minister of the interior
IN the Vichy cabinet and most recently
tbe vichy Ambassador to Argentina, was
onnointed governor general Of Algeria by
Cen Giraud, the high commissioner
Ee succeeded the Vichyite Yves Chatel
,,bo becomes deputy governor general
The protests against Allied collabora-
zion with men who only lately have beer
collaborating with the Germans con-
ti,,,,ed in force at the Peyrouton move
a,tbouph it was pointed out that Pey-
-o,,ton left the cabinet in Vichy IN olS-
agreement with Pierre Laval Inc pro-
80 anpered Secretary of State HUI
sare when they were brought TO MS
s..ention at a press conference Weones-
ssv he said he wished more attention
-. ,,ven 10 cooperating in the prose
..,.,on of the war than 10 poi'io"i u