Evening star., 1944-10-19
Defeat Of Reich in IA.
Seen as Ringing on
Clearing Of Antwerp

Clearing Of Antwerp
Ry the Associated Press.
The possibility of victory in
Europe this year probably will be
decided by the Allies speed in util-
izing the two great strategic KEYS
to Hitler's Germany-the Belgian
port of Antwerp and Poland's dew
astated capital, Warsaw.
Full use of the port facilities of
Antwerp could solve much of the
Western Front supply problem and
support a crushing thrust into the
Reich over the best route to Berlin
Antwerp is in Allied hands, but
enemy guns dominate its ap-
proaches, barring shipping. Clear
ing those approaches is conceded by
military men here to be one of the
primary tasks on the Western
Front.
Strategy May Be Limited.
Unless they are cleared promptly
it appears improbable that the Allies
can muster full strength against all
the enemy's vulnerable points for
multiple heavy blows this fall.
This would limit sharply what ap-
pears to be the grand strategy for
1914 victory in Europe-final twin
offensives by the Russians in the
east and the Allied forces in the
west before winter closes in
10 this strategy, many Of the
present operations are contributing
only indirectly in that they main
tain pressure on the enemy, con-
I tinue to reduce his forces deprive
him of his satellites and straighten
lines, especially on the Soviet front.
for the grand push.
The main trend of Russian front |
events and their significance in the
broad picture of the war-often OBJ |
scure-now can be reported on high |
authority as having developed in
/ this manner:
Russians Aided Normandy Drive.
The Russian summer campaign |
paralleled the Anglo American in
vaSlon of Normandy and contributed |
much to its success. The campaign
reached its most advanced point in
the suburbs of Warsaw at the end
of July. The Germans had deter
mined to hold the city and counter
attacks repelled the Russians.
subsequently, toward the middle
of September the Russians made
another limited try in the Warsaw
area and again they suffered a set
back or, as some authorities now call
1t, "a mild defeat" Thus they we're
stalled on the central front, as their
high command apparently had real
lied from the time of the July re-
verse, and required much reorgan-
lzatlon and supply of forces, which
presumably is continuing.
Meanwhile, they undertook their
cleanup in the Baltic and Balkan
areas. In those it is recognized by
officials here that Soviet military
interest in maintaining pressure on
the Germans conceded with Soviet
political interests. especially in the
Balkans. The Balkan campaign,
which has been advanced at rela-
lively light cost, became one of op-
portunity as first Romania, then
Bulgaria and finally Hungary fell
from the Hitler fringe.
Political Profit for Russia.
These events emphasized political
rather than military measures of
Russia and prompted many in
qulrieS here as to whether the Rus
slams had suddenly abandoned hope
of beating Hitler this year to con-
centrate on establishing their power
in the Balkans. /,
The political profit accruing to
Russia from the Balkans drive is
admitted freely by officials here, but
there is no information to support
the view that they momentarily
have forsaken primary military OBJ
jectiveS
On the contrary, it is expected
that after adequate preparations for
"a grand-scale assault, the Allied
armies on the eastern front will join
with those on the west in an I'M
limited campaign to defeat Hitler
this year But to do SO they must
take Warsaw
The conveyance of transporta-
ton lines, according to competent
military opinion here, is such that
they cannot afford to leave the bat
tered city in German hands. The
first capital taken by Hitler in his
drive to conquer Europe remains in
his last months one of the KEYS to
his defeat.