The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-01
American ArmOred Columns
DebOzzcIn Onto French Plain
in
Reach of
Yanks
tBy the Associated Press)

10y the Associated Press)
American armored columns cross
ed the selune River below the cap
tured stronghold OF Avranches to-
day and debouched onto the plain
OF France against German defenses
guarding the route 20 Paris on
the east and the great ports OF
Brittany on the west.
The Allied offensive on an so
mile front was unchecked after q
week OF spectacular successes and
appeared TO carry the possibilities
OF the big push OF August. 1918,
that eventually drove the Germans
back TO Frances eastern border.
The Russians were kicking with
seven.league boots at the Germans
back door. Marshal Rokossovsky's
Russian and Polish troops laid
siege to Warsaw. Moscow said
that one OF the greatest artillery
concentrations OF the entire east
ern front ripped into German en-.
trenchments on the edge OF Praga,
Industrial suburb OF the Polish
capital which was being stormed
from three directions.
Defend Florenes
The Germans resisted strongly
along their Gothic line In Italy
and hurled Ave divisions into the
defense OF Florence. at In clear
the enemy is determined 10 make
a real stand as long az no Is able,
but the Eighth Army's advance Is
relentlessly- forcing him from sue
cessive strong points" Allied head
quarters In Rome said.
The surprise offensive launched
by the British in the center OF the
Normandy front Sunday smashed
ahead more than four miles 10
less than two miles west OF the
German stronghold OF Lebeny-Bo-
cage, which Is IL miles south OF
Caumont. The Germans launched
strong counterattacks In the Percy
area In an effort to thwart another
big Allied entrapment operation
but front reports said the attacks
were hid.
Spreading Out
Spreading out from Avranches,
American armor spanned the last
great natural barrier against a
breakthrough to the south In coss-
ing the Selune River. The ad-
vance enyeloped Pontau bault. four
miles south OF Avranches, and
overran Ducey. another road hub
i've miles To the southeast. The
Americans were within 81 miles of
the Brittany seaport OF ST. Malo
and 125 miles from the great har-
Dor OF Brest on the west. On the
east was Paris 100 miles away.
Many Prisoners
Sweeping out OF Normandy's diff
fcult hedgerows and wooded ter
rain. the American plunge below
Avranches took the biggest bag or
prisoners In the week.long cam
paign, with an estimated $500 be-
ing rounded up. The British also
took prisoners by the hundreds.
The Allies total in prisoners for
the offensive was estimated at near
$4,000.
The Raj struck at German ro-
bot bomb supply depots and launch
ing sites in northern France last
night as winged bombs fell inter
mittently In Southern England.
Raj heavles pounded German nav
al vessels at lie Havre and attack
ed the railway center OF La Roche.
So miles southeast of Paris, late
yesterday.
Empire In Ruins
Japan's vast Southwest Pacific
empire lay in ruins today, toppled
by a new. 200-mile westward Allied
leap which clinched the conquest OF
New Guinea and placed Gen. Doa-
glas Macarthur within amphibious
reach OF the Philippines.
The Guam and Tinian campaigns
some 1900 miles northeastward
likewise drew near a close. assur-
ing the U. S. OF another spring
board from which the Philippines
or even China and Japan-soon
can be assaulted.
Tokyo radio said Japanese on
Rota. another Marianas island be-
tween Tinian and Guam. had pre-
vented enemy landings, a possible
hint that another L. S. island In
vision was underway. But there
was no confirmation.
Spells Doom
The Macarthur landing spelled
doom for the remnants of more
than a quarter Of million troops
Japan posted from the Solomons to
New Guinea to hold the empire IL
seized in early 1912. With the
10000 japanese already slain in
the Marianas campaign. MacArth-
UT and Adm. Chester Nimitz could
be sure they had effectively dent
ed Japan's fghting machine.
Sixth Army units. enjoying com
plete surprise. landed Sunday at
Sansapor village on New Gulnea's
northwest tip. Hardly a shot was
fired and I'm less than half day
the beachhead was firmly set. sup
plies were pouring ashore and some
troops took time out for swim.
The landing put a wedge be-
tween the Japanese base OF Sor-
ong on the west and Mankwarf.
enemy stronghold harboring $4,000
troops.
Guam Split
Z. S. troops cut Guam In half,
from Agana Town TO Page Bay,
and a NimItz spokesman declared
"the worst is over on Guam-most
OF the diflcult lighting is behind
. -"
On Tinlan. Marines and infantry
men pinned the Japanese garrison
into q pocket on the islands south
end. where they were being ground
TO bits by bombs, Navy gunfre and
advancing troops. Enemy dead
In the Marianas 10 date include
s.206 on Guam, nearly 1000 on