Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-11-16

the expenditure OF FORCE OH
fronts where there Is little
prospect of any immediate de-
cision, and those fronts where
Germany can be crushingly de-
feated.
The main front is western
Europe, where the armies Of
Eisenhower are marshalled.
All of these armies will leap
into action simultaneously, each
one, by its ruthless attack. sup
porting the violence of the
others.
But this front is only one part
OF the battle for an early de-
cision.
The Eastern Front, which ex-
tends from Lithuania along the
frontier of Eastern Prussia TO
the Narev River line, to the
Polish capital of Warsaw, up the
Vistula River TO the Carpathian
Mountains. is physically Ger
many's most vulnerable front,
for it is open ground. The great
level plains or steppes Of Poland
extend westward deep into Ger
many.
EOR some months the Rus
l. SLAMS have made no deter
mined assault upon this Eastern
Front.
Progress here ceased after the
Allied landing in Normandy in
June.
Russian summer campaigns
were directed to gaining terri
tory to the north and to the
south.
The northern move mt
secured Estonia, and in large
part, Latvia and Lithuania.
It forced the surrender OF
Finland, with Finland's de-
fensive front and Petsamo.
And from this Arctic end Of
Finland Russian army has ad-
vanced into Norway.
It's detectives may be the
Fjord of Tromso, or even of
Narvik, where the iron and
steel of northern Sweden are
shipped out through the North
Sea.
The Russian intention APP
pears to be TO gain such a mas
terry in this northern peninsula
of Europe that its control OF
! the Baltic will be unchal-
lengable.
But, however much these
operations may contribute TO
the westward expansion of Rus
STA, they little affect the de-
feat of Germany.
TTiE same conclusion applies
l. to the campaign of the Rus
sian armies in the Balkans.
Romania has been overrun,
Bulgaria forced out of the war,
the Carpathian tains
pierced and Slovakia entered.
More important, the Russians
have penetrated eastern Hun
gary and approached the city
of Budapest.
This movement may have
some decisive effect upon the
overthrow of Germany If ii can
be continued up the valley of
the Danube.
The Danubian road in the
past, has been route of
assault upon central Europe.
II was the route of Turkish
conquest, though they were
halted before Vienna.
The Ostmark. or Austria,
was ever a fortified defense
against the invasion of Ger
many from the Balkans.
We must count on its being
strongly defended today.
German defense in this war
could proba bly, have been
broken here by the full weight
of Allied strength.
IT is reported that Mr..
Il Churchill's choice for the
invasion of German Europe was
the Danube.
With Russia attacking here
alone, ii is doubtful if they will
succeed in a way to support
the Rhine attack.
The only Russian activity
that will help at this time is a
renewed ssault in great
strength by the Russian armies
on the Narev-Vistula line.
Unless this is started soon, we
will not have a concerted cam
paign to break the German mill
tary power.
We will have another instance
in this war of what occurred in
the first world war-unco-ordi-
mated attacks. at one time from
the west, and at another time
from the east, allowing the Ger
mans, in their central position.
10 shift divisions from a front
that was quiet and inactive, 10
the front that was under as
Sault.
It has been repeatedly an
nounced that this important
Russian assistance 10 bring the
war to close will shortly
begin; that the Russians intend
to smash the Vistula defenses,
capture Warsaw, and push
across western poland into
Silesia and Pomerania.
II the Russian armi les are
really to support the attack of
the armies of Gen. Eisenhower,
they must start now.
'. ~. ~ :. "s.,. EXZ3