The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-19
Interpreting
The War
BY KIRKE L. SIMPSON
Associated Press War Analyst

Associated Press War Analyst
There is a broad intimation in
battle bulletins from Italy that Al
lied troops which stormed over the
Gustav defense line from end tc
end in resistless seven-day battle
also may have cracked the Adolf
Hitler front behind it on both
flanks and in the center.
No such claim is made by Allied
headquarters in Naples or was
voiced in Washington by Secretary
Stlmson in his weekly war re-
view. 1t is obvious, however. that
the Germans are in full retreat
before American troops on the left
flank to escape entrapmen1
on Gaeta point; that the northern
anchor of the Hitler line already
is in danger of being turned west
OF captured Casino; and that the
French seizure of Esperia on the
south slope of the Liri Valley
g-avely menaces he new Nazi de.
tense system in center.
Formia, logical coastal ancho,
point for the Hitler line, was taken
by American forces at a pace in.
dicating German flight. It's fall and
American close investment of Itri
road junction beyond where High.
way 80 links the Via Casilina with
the Via Appia carried the Allied
left flank forward IS miles from
its week-old jump-off.
French forces on the Fifth Army
right flank paralleled the coast
slope. drive in capture of Esperia
Whatever Nazi troops still cling to
outflanked defenses on the Aurunci
plateau are in grave danger OF
being cut off as completely as were
those trapped in Casino by British
cutting of Via Qasilina in their
rear and Polish seizure of Mon
astery mountain above the war
wrecked town. Artillery supporting
the French advance brought High.
way 81 under gunfire.
The French thrust south of the
Liri bids fair to do more than
that. 1t could herald an immediate
repeat performance Of the Allied
tactic that broke the Gustav line
in the center to let charging Eight
Army tanks through to nip off
Casino and close with the valley
segment of the Hitler line.
From Esperia the French are in
position to outflank Pontecorvo
north of the Liri and prime COM
munications pivot in the Hitler
line. That would drive a critical
dent into the Hitler line in the
center. The main central road
feeder for the whole C m an
secondary defense from Piedmonte
north Of the Via Casilina to Itri
on the coastal flank is the Pico-
Pontecorvo connection with the
vital German communications
lateral, Highway 80.
1t goes without saying that Bri-
fish and Polish elements of the
Eighth Army are closing in on
Piedmonte and Aquina in the north
as American forces have clamped
their grip on Itri in the south. It
must follow that an Allied break
through at eight point or in the
center to disrupt traffic on that
Highway 80 would shatter the
Hitler front line as certainly as
the fall of San Giorio and by
passing of Formia led to complete
disintegration of the Gustav De-
tense system.
It remains to be seen whether
the Germans - military realists
will risk cumulative field disas-
tiers in Italy or begin soon a
general retreat up the peninsular
"boot' to the short and naturally
all but enable defense
positions awaiting them at its
head.
In any event, the Allied attack
on the Hitler line has started if
it has not already made effective
dents in the system at critical
points. What sort of defense the
germans put up may give betty,
view of Nazi strategy very soon.
And there is at least yelled hint
in dispatches 7elayed from the
Nazi Italian front via Berlin that
general withdrawal northward
may have started already.