The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-27

that aSlQe rom 1du1Iy A1ACSA brought on the swift and
 Undoubtedly some intelligence officers will be disciplined or brok- en for failing to evaluate the con- centration of German troops op- posite the First Army about 8 week beforehand. But there were other factors contributing to the reverse, none of which can be laid at the doorstep of single com mander. Basically they are fac tors which only General EiSen- hover and General Marshall themselves could properly evalu- ate and act on.
 Here are some of the inside, basic factors involved:
 l. General Marshall himself ordered the U. s. offensive which began November 8, and which continued with battering- ram tac- tics until Won Rundstedt turned the tide against us. Marshall, vis- iting the battlefront in October, that daring the winter the Ger mans could mobilize 100 new di- visions, so it was wise for us to clear them off the west bank of the Rhine Lefore winter closed in.
 ?. There was and is no disposi- tion to doubt the wisdom of Gen. MarShall's decision. However, these battering tactics cost men, also tire men out. The American system is to keep di- visions on the front line, bringing up fresh men only for replace ments. Thus the divisions now at the front have been fighting steadily since the landing in Nor mandy last June-with, of course. lot of men coming up as re- placements.
 GERMANS RESTED TROOPS
 3. This is considered an excel lent system and gets results. How ever, the Germans immediately took out their battle troops after Normandy and sent them to rest behind the lines. The Nazi boys and old men we encountered in the Siegfried line made us think the German army was shot to pieces. but it wasn't. The eX- perienced battle troops, now re- freshed after long rest, are tak- ing the offensive against us.
 4. The War Department it. sell was responsible for a lot of the favorable news which gave the public a general feeling of over confidence. One of its most important indications was that some 100000 German troop' were killed or taken prisoners dur ing the cleanup of France, mak- ing a sizeable hole in the Nazi army. Of these, however, about 100000 were Russian Ukrainian labor battalions. thus American public had reasons to believe that large slice of the German army was deciimated.
 5. Germany's new Royal Tiger tank is superior to ours and we have known it. It is extremely difficult to knock it out of com mission. However, we thought the war was going to be over soon and that we could finish up the job with the tanks already on hand - of which we had tre- mendous quantities. More re- gently, however, we have started buildnig a pig tank which can equal or better the Royal Tiger. ROBOTS BEAT AIRPLANES
 6 Robot bombs and rocket bombs can fly in any weather whereas airplanes can't Also they don't require men. Thus the German have been able to bomb us from the air-by robots and rockets-while because of bad weather we couldn't bomb them. The Nazis lay out a square of territory in and behind the lines, then systematically pepper 1t with rocket bombs. They can aim them well enough to hit within certain areas. 2
 !. The German system is to attack suddenly with tremendous force and heavy armor in one small area, they concentrated hundreds of tanks in their first attack. Once they broke through, they spread out, Also the Nazis had little to lose. If they sat be- hind the Siegfried Line they were sure to lose the war eventually so they could afford this gamble.
 8. However, it remains fact that we had advance information of great Nazi activity for about week before the attack came, though apparently we sized it up as preparation for retreat rather than attack. Also some of Gen. Eisenhowever's friends in the War Department had cautioned him that it was a favorite Nazi trick to turn and strike back when cor nered.
 NOTE-Gen. Courtney Hodges against whose 1st Army the blow was launched, is regarded a bet ter-than-average American gen. eral. He was not able to make the grade at west Point. but im- mediately enlisted in the Army and has worked his way up. He was a major in command of in-