Evening star., 1944-07-23
War Review
Revolt in Germany to
Shorten War
Bp H0,pard p. Bailey.

ers have looked with hopeful eyes
for quick victory over Germany,
the home front, last week swept
into flaming action which was
highlighted by an unsuccessful ef-
fort to kill Adolf Hitler and as the
week ended had eliminated in a
blood purge of many of Germapy's
most noted and skilled army lead
ers. If even a small portion of the
reports and rumors are to be ac-
cepted, Germany is dangerously
torn by internal revolt in which
many have been slain and in which
important army and naval units
have rebelled against the Nal lead
ership.
Climactic events are in the max
ing and, though the ruthless hand
Of Heinrich Himmler who has been
placed in full command of home
forces may for the moment be suffi-
ciently powerful to suppress the up
risings, the war has undoubtedly
been materially shortened by what
has and is taking place.
In fact. the Axis had a bad week
from beginning to end. The orig
inal triumvirate of dictators who
plunged the world into it's present
horror and was later reduced to two
with the elimination of Mussolini,
was further cut back on Thursday
when Toxic announced that Pre-
mier TOTO and his entire cabinet
were removed from Office, the end
OF the dictator coming with final
acknowledgement to the japanese
people that Saipan had fallen to
the Americans
Only Hss4er remains in power and
he was singed biiss- by the bomb
which was placed a few feet from
where he stood or Thursday dis
cusslng war plans with the inner
circle of his confidants.
There remains a certain amount
of skepticism concerning the story
OF the bombing, one comment from
London pointing out that it might
have served as an excuse for the
launching of the campaign to kill
off high ranking officers VINO have
long been suspected by the Nazis
OF plotting the overthrow of Hitler
and the negotiation of a peace with
the Allies. The doubts gained some
strength from the statement that
the bomb exploded only feet from
Hitler and yet he was only slightly
hurt and none of his companions
were killed though one was reported
to have died later from his injuries.
First hints of the brewing trouble
came with report Wednesday that
six German officers, some of high
rank, had been killed in Athens
in gun fight during a discussion
of military plans. The argument
seemed to have gotten out of hand
Famous Generals "Missing."
Out of the welter of reports, it is
difficult to sift the real facts from
the rumors, but apparently many
persons have been slain, many ar
rested and many on the verge of
further revolt though the govern
ment appears to be in complete con-
Cioi at IllC lilOIllellI.
Disappeared from the scene are
Field Marshals Won Brauchitsch and
Won Rundstedt. The former was
formerly commander in chief of all
the German armies and the latter
headed the anti-invasion forces.
Field Marshal List, commander in
Southeast Europe and Field Marshal
Won Mannstein. recently removed as
commanders on the Russian front.
also have dropped from sight. So too.
nave Won Book, Halder and Won
Falkenhausen. One report stated
that they were all in hiding, seeking
to rally underground elements to
overthrow the Nazis. Another report
was that they had paid the supreme
penalty along with Col Gen. Beck.
who the Nazis announced had been
executed for plotting with the
enemy"
From East Prussia came reports
OF revolt by at least two divisions
which refused to fight further and
THIS report was embellished by an
other to the effect that the entire
personnel of the two divisions had
oeen promptly executed.
Like 1918, when Germany BEGAN
10 crack up, it was stated in another
report that naval units at Kiel and
at Stettin had revolted.
$500 Officers Arrested.
Altogether it was summarized that
300 German officers have been ar
rested, including "a generals, and
that many have been executed. One
completely unconhrmed rumor out
OF Ankara has it that Hitler has
been placed in protective custody.
While these reports of internal
trouble are highly encouraging
there definitely is no serious weak
enlng OF German resistance against
the Normandy invasion though i'm
portant gains have been made dur
Ing the past few days.
Monday American forces broke
into the outskirts of strategicallv
vital st. Lo and by Wednesday had
the city safely occupied, though the
occupying forces were harassed bv
German artillery fire from the hills
beyond the city. Some advance be-
yond st. Lo has also been made.
At the other end of the Normandy
front. the British and Canadians
pushed several miles beyond Caen
into open country adapted to tank
action, and though temporarily
halted by furious but futile Ger
man counterattack and by mud
after weekend rains, Montgomervs
forces are poised for new offensive
which may move rapidly toward
Paris.
Leghorn Is Captured.
In Italy the important port OF
Llvorno or Leghorn, home of one
OF the most important former Ital-
Ian naval bases was captured by 1t
Gen. Clark's forces on Wednesday
Llvorno is Italy's third largest port
1t fell about the same time Polish
forces operating on the Adria tic
Coast seized the port of Ancona