The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-11-29
The War On
Many Fronts

- -V
Persistent, but unconfirmed, re-
ports Of German peace bid circu-
lated through Europe's neutarl capt.
Jals today as Anglo-American and
Soviet armies battered down fierce
Nazi resistance on the italian and
Russian fronts and Allied bombers
hammered relentlessly at German
5argetS in western Europe.
Coinciding with rumors that a
nomentous meeting of Prime Min
ister Churchill, President Roosevelt
and Premier Stain was in progress,
Or about to begin, the flood Of peace
reports centered about a purported
Nazi peace mission" to the Vati-
can.
Baron Franz Won Papen, German
ambassador to Turkey, was said to
have flown secretly 10 the Vatican
Friday and returned to Berlin the
following day after a conference
with Pope Plus XII. There was no
authoritative word on Won Papen's
actual whereabouts, however, and
Well-informed church sources in
Switzerland were skeptical Of the
report.
Still another peace rllmor said
German representative-again prob
ably Won Papen-would attend the
projected Churchill ROOSEVELT Stain
Conference.
Swedish and Swiss sources traced
the sudden outcropping of Nazi ru-
morS to the possibility that the
United Nations leaders would issue
an ultimatum calling upon Ger
many to surrender or face increas-
ing aerial bombardment and con-
yersing land assaults from three
sides.
The long-dormant italian battle
front famed into new action as
Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
veteran 9th Army advanced in a
major assault against the eastern
flank Of the Nazis' winter line and
British warships bombarded enemy
strougholds facing the Anglo-Amer-
lean 9Th Army
British, Indian and New Zealand
troops opened their new drive to-
ward Rome early Sunday morning,
striking out from their bridgeheads
across the rain-sWollen Sangro river
under cover of a heavy artillery and
aerial barrage. At the same time,
other Eighth Army forces forced a
second bridgehead across the Sangro
further inland, around Archi, threat
ening key lateral highway behind
the German lines
Flame-TankS
The Germnas hurled flame
throwing tanks and reinforced
squadronS of warplanes into the bat
tie, but a communique said the
Eighth Army continued to make
good progress.
On the western flank of the Ital-
ian line, the 5th Army made a lin
tied gain into high ground at an I'M
specified point, while British naval
guns pounded the Nazi-held port of
Munturno in the Gulf of Gaeta,
just behind the German defenses.
Heavy fighting also ragged all
along the Russian front from the
Dnieper bend to White Russia, with
the Soviet Armies holding fast
against massive German counter-at-
tackS west of Kiev and gaining
ground on all the other sectors.
The Germans, repeatedly ordered
by Hitler to recapture Kiev at all
costs, hurled waves Of tanks and in
fantry into endless attacks on the
Russian salient, but front reports
indicated that every thrust had been
beaten back with bloody losses.
Snow and freezing rains turned the
entire battle area into a vast quag-
mire, begging down tanks and
mechanical equipment.
Northwest of Golnel, other Nazi
forces fled toward the Polish 'front.'
Ter through steadily narrowing es-
cape corridor, abandoning tanks guns
and heavy equipment in a frantic
rush to clear the closing jaws OF
Russian trap. Soviet field guns
pounded the fleeing Germans stead
lily piling up heavy casualties.
Red Army columns swept through
more than $50 towns and villages in
an 18mile advance up the Gomel-
Mi1.Sk railway, driving to within 10
miles OF zhlobin, where the Gomel-
Minsk and Odessa-L eningrad rail-
road lines cross.
In the Dnieper bend, at least
1000 German troops were killed as
Russian forces pounded slowly
ahead southwest of Kremenchug
and east Of Krivoi Rog.
Battered Berlin enjoyed its second
respite from British night raids last
night and the Nazis were reported
to have brought under control huge
fires that had burned unchecked
through the capital for more than
a week. Speedy Raj Mosquito bomb
ers stabbed at western Germany
drlrin, the night, however, and AL
lied medium bomoers and fighters
took up the attack by daylight to-
day with new blows at enemy tar
gets on the continent.