Evening star., 1944-07-16
Allied Delay in France
NAV Have Given Foe
Time 10 Dig In
Montgomery's Forces
Hold Less Now Than
Six Days After D-Doy
By IVES GALLAGHER,

Associated Press War Correspondent
SUPREME ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, July 15.-Allied de.
lay in launching a big offensive
to break out of the Normandy
beachhRad threatens to put the
Germans into the strongest de-
Ifensive positions they have helc
since D-day, in the opinion OF
many British and American OBJ
servers of the French campaign
Despite the capture of Caen, the
fact remains that Gen. Sir Bernard
l.. Montgomery forces on the
eastern wing of the bridgehead to-
day-40 days since the invasion be-
gan-hold less territory than they
did six days afted D-Day when they
reached Villers- -Bocage.
Early in the invasion, Allied all
forces had roads and bridges lead.
ing to the beachhead so badly
damaged that Field Marshal Erwin
Rommel could only gather pieces OF
divisions to plug the gaps.
He has been outnumbered on the
front since the first day of invasion
but because of bad weather and the
fact that air attack cannot COM
pletely halt the flow of troops and
supplies, Rommel has been able to
increase his forces steadily.
Nazi Strength Increased.
German strength opposing the
Allies in Normandy today was esti-
mated at 20 to Is divisions, of mixed
ability, but including many crack
armored units, compared with a
maximum of seven with which the
enemy met the Allied invasion on
June 6.
The Allies have not yet launched
a co-ordinated large-scale attack al
along the bridgehead When the
Americans were taking Cherbourg
the British and Canadians were or
the defensive around Caen. Wher
the British and Canadians took
Caen the Americans we're busy re-
grouping after Cherbourg and were
engaged in only limited activity.
1t. Gen. Omar N. Bradley's troobs
now are engaged in the widest
spread offensive operation to date
1t covers 40 miles of front down the
Cherbourg Peninsula, but by the
nature of the terrain the Germans
are retreating into stronger
positions as long as the Caen sector
remains the same.
Germans Shorten Lines.
The German retreat when II
reaches the area of Granville to st
Lo will have shortened the enemy
defensive line from 100 to about 7(
miles. In other words, the Germans
will have the same number of troops
to guard about third less terri
tory.
The Americans also are driving
into hilly terrain where the defense
has definite advantage.
Gen. Montgomery in his cam
paigns has been famous for taking
unlimited time to gather everything
he wants before the big attack,
and his record of never having lost
battle stands in his favor.
He is gathering everything DOS
sible into his narrow bridgehead
now. but further delays will give
Rommel a chance to bring up more
reserves.
1t was Gen. Montgomery's care
and Judgment in striking at the
right time that won the Battle of
Ell Alamein. On the other hand, it
was his excessive caution in ad-
vancing up from the toe of Italy
that brought criticism on him for
failing to relieve the threatened
Salerno bridgehead sooner.
The slowness of this campaign
was brought to head when with
the 5th and 9th Armies two days
apart, and according to intelligence
separated by two German divisions,
British and American correspond
ents drove in jecp from the 9th
to the 5th Army through German
held" territory without encountering
a German soldier.