Evening star., 1944-07-16
By HosCard r. Bailey.

oIIc "a IIlc COutIlOuIAuS CAUSES u
the start of the war.
Drive Deep in Lithuania.
Temporarily ignoring Wilno, Rus
sian forces f1anked that Nazi strong
hold and drove deeply into prewai
Lithuania, advancing to a point
only 120 miles from the Baltic Sea
coast. North OF the Russian spear
point are stationed SOM, 40 Nazl
divisions garrisoning the Baltic
states. If the Russians continue
their advance in that direction rap
idly enough, a really crippling blow
may be struck the enemy.
Immediate objective of the Rus.
slams on Monday appeared to BIT
Kaunas, capital Of Russia's Lithu.
anian republic lying on the direct
rail line to Koenigsberg in East
Prussia.
At least seven drives were aimed
at the Nazis Monday, ranging from
below the Pripet Marshes toward
Brest-Litovsk to the most northern
pointed at Latvia.
Adding to Hitler's problem came
the announcement Tuesday of q
new and massive Russian Offensive
north of Iasi in Romania toward
Galat Gap and the Ploestl oil fields
which also were a badly damaged
target for American bombers.
WiIno Captured.
BY Friday Wilno was captured
though a German broadcast claimed
that the garrison had fought its way
out Of the city. Pinsk, q German
stronghold on a rail line leading to
Brest Litovsk and in a vulnerable
position because of Russian hanking
drives, was abandoned by the Nazis
according to Berlin broadcast on
Friday.
At the end of the week the entire
front was in condition of move
ment with the Reds rapidly seizing
their opportunities as the Nazis fell
back either voluntarily or under
pressure. Crossing the Latvian
border one column had come within
20 miles of the rail line from Kaunas
to Riga, seaport capital of Latvia
Another composed of tanks and
cavalry was SO miles from East
Prussia at Eydtkuhnen. A third was
reaching out for the so-called
Suwalki triangle of East Prussia near
Grodno and further south still an
other column was moving rapidly
across Brest Litovsk Province toward
the Bug River.
As the Nazis fell back toward
their Wista-Bug River line, their
resistance indicated some signs of
stiffening, but major disaster has
already occurred in the loss of many
thousands killed in addition to
other thousands taken prisoner
Lithuania and Polish troops under
Nazi command are reported mutt
nying.
Normandy Fighting Heavy.
In Normandy the fighting was
heavy and the German defense ap-
preached the desperate as they
fought bitterly for every yard of
Allied advance. Still, the pressure
OF overwhelming strength moved
the enemy backward slowly and the
entire American front from vital
st. Lo to the sea was in movement
The British started the weeks ad-
vance with a heavy blow beyond
Caen, which brought them within
a mile of the Orne River and re-
suited in the capture of number
of strong points.
At about the same time 1t. Gen.
Bradley's Americans broke through
the German defenses around La
Haye du Puts and opened broad
gate for an advance south and east
ward from the Cherbourg Penin-
sula. In the center of the Allied
line, progress was made in expand
ing the bridgehead across the Wire
River.
Tuesday smashing American Of
fensive drove to point about two
miles from st. Lo and the British
moved ahead both east and west of
Caen.
A fierce Nazi counteroffensive on
Wednesday cost the enemy 20 tanks,
bringing Hitler's tank losses on this
front to IA In week.
British Give Ground.
A powerful Nazi drive against
the British and Canadians in the
Caen area regained some lost ground
but Gen. Montgomery declared that
the loss of German armored equip
ment was too high price for the
enemy to pay for such temporary
advantage.
Thursday one American column
had pushed beyond st. Lo and cut
the st. Lo-Bayeaux road. Paris re-
ported that along the 14-mile front
from st. Lo to Chaumont, 80 divi-
sions are now concentrated.
BY yesterday Lessay, anchor OF
the German line near the coast was
pinned down and American thrust
had driven forward almost to the
Lessay-St. Lo road threatening the
last lateral highway connecting the
German lines.
Pressure in the north forced the
British to fall back q bit more
but generally speaking the progress
Of the week In Normandy was salts
factory.
In Italy, after a bitter defense
south Of Leghorn, or Livorno as the
italian west coast naval base and
port is now termed, the Nazis are
now reported putting up only token
resistance and the Americans have
driven northward within ~ miles
of the city. Along the entire front
the movement is forwarded with the
Nazis slowly giving ground as they
withdraw to their next main defense
line on the Arno River.
Buzxbombs Let Up.
London had some relief from the
buzzbombs during the past week but
concern over them is shown by the
evacuation Of several hundred thou
sand persons from the capital during
the week. Some dificulty wsg re-
ported yesterday in this connection
as thousands upon thousands were
unable to find temporary refuge In
other parts Of England. There were
Of compulsion to come