The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-08
By RALPH HETNZEN United Press Staff Correspondent

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 Cincinnati. O., Aug. 8. eUP)-
 Cincinnati. O.. Aug. g. oUP)- taWeen the smashing American blitz toward Paris and the German Biitz of ies0 that tumbled France in 45 days. Indeed. it is the same thing in reverse.
 Both are overwhelming tank oper- ations in which the break-through permits a swift. deep penetration that plays havoc with the costliest and best laid defense.
 There's a parallel too between the swift capture by the Allies Of key points behind Killers Atlantic wall which his TODT organization built in three years at a cost Of $50. .O00.- GOO out Of the French taxpayers pockets and the turning of the s50o.- 100000 Magini line by the Germans in le40.
 Forty-flye days after the Germans broke into the tank country Of north France in Ie4O. France sur rendered. The Americans broke into tank country on July 25.
 The terrain from Normandy. Brit tany. or the Loire valley tO Paris is perfect tank country. It's hilly but smooth with rolling. green fiel6s intenspersed with forests and eEcei- lent national roads. It isn't greatly different from the Ardennes and EofnFne valley country where Reichenau'g tanks smashed the French army to bits and made the 45-day conquest of I940 possible.
 The new battle for Paris really is being fought in western Normandy where four German PaEzer divisions eounteT-attaeked yesterday. If we ain that battle finally there should be no further difficulties in reach ing Paris within a matter of weeks. There's really no defendable line between the present American posi- ti0ns en dPAris.
 Paris can be defended tf the Ger mans decide to risk the destruction Of the city. ID 1871, Paris resisted the beEeiging Prussiap armies for many bitter and hungry months.
 EsTsyadO
 1 remember the French goyern- ment's last day iD Paris, June 10. lOsO. The previous evening PTOpa- ganGa Minister Jean PrOnyOst. the owner Of Frances biggest daily newspapeT, the Paris R0ir. told the American correspondents; Paris will be defended from house to house, from street to street, from roof 10 roof" It sounded nice but ge au knew Premier Paul Reypaud had assembled ears that very eYe- ming to take the whole government and the minister and tlleir wives and sgaetbealts to Tours.
 PTOny0stis good intentions deally were brayad0, Certainly they didn't make military sense because 0epF eTalissiplo Maxine Weygand, as supreme allied commander, had told the government that Paris couldn't be defended evening 0f every house ERS used 10 shelter spipers, Wey1 gand told Reynaudl that any army R1th 6 hundred b0Wbers and . thOu6aDd tanks could capture Paris jn 2s hours despite any defense but WOlIla destroy the city In doing so, That same foFmuia stapds today 100 b0ObeTs and 1000 tanks and Paris lost lD dames tf t Is defended,
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 Paris Is tallitaFily important, hove eyeY, and beyond the morale bullds ing aspect Of it's TaeapiaIge, Al rall. roads have their terminals @ Paris, None runs through, They are liDlked by q belt line which 0ur b0l0befs have cut often ln past months, D, tRking Paris, the Allies would tills HNdistfly cut the i've maip French railroad systems,
 The city could be easily 1anked from the west by a swift move llp fbe Loire valley, It should be easier 70 Gank Paris from the west than from the east as the Germans die lB let0
 one Of the most dramatic yet hopeless, costly, sIld tUtl phases of tile waT was the Iel0 night from Paris, l eIased tlBe United Press BuFeau snd followed the g0yeFns nssnt t0 Tours 0Il June %, sb0jt i2 llOlITs after the government fled, ] drove 100 miles through roads parked s0lIdIy with humanity Al Paris fed the approaching hazis, either afoot og iIl automobiles and o,l bleyeles. The Eight blocked the Vyench armys retreat and permitted tl1e Germans 10 eaptuFp more than Q mfllloB French pglg0neFa,