Evening star., 1944-08-07
Nuzis Penetrate
Three Miles in
First Rush
MAP on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press.

<kUAR EfIS, Aug. line Ger
mans today struck their most
furious counterblow at Ameri-
cans since D day, shooting four
armored divisions to a depth OF
about 3 miles into the thinnest
Allied coastal strip east OF
Avranches.
The counterattack, described in
front-line dispatches as the mos
concentrated the Germans have yet
made in France, apparently was
aimed at outf1anking four Amer
ican spearheads pointing danger
ously toward Paris and at separat-
ing 1t. Gen. Omar N. Bradley s
American forces in Brittany from
the British forces to the north ir
Normandy.
The Germans in their first rush
recaptured Mortain, cutting the
road behind the most advanced
Bradley spearhead at Domfront
where it was aimed at Paris, 135
miles away.
The Americans were said to be
still holding the high ground around
Mortain, however, and the German
thrust was met by a hurricane OF
fire from hundreds of guns and AL
lied air forces.
Field Day for Air Forces.
"The air forces are having field
day." one high officer said at the
front.
Earlier. fleet of more than 500
American Flying Fortresses and Lib
orators was reported coursing the
French battlefields.
The German counterattack was on
an 8-mile front from Mortain to
Sourdeval, to the north, and was in
an area about 20 miles from the sea
The German commanders evi.
IDENTIFY aimed their thrust al
Avranches, the coastal city where
American forces turned the corner
from Normandy into Brittany.
The first penetrations carried tc
the area of Juvigny-le-T -Tertre
3 miles northwest of Mortain, ano
Cherence-le-Rousse. miles farther
north.
Yanks Capture Wire.
North of this sector, however, the
Americans, who earlier had achieved
a junction with the British around
Wire, captured Wire, an important
road hub miles above Sour
deval. The Yanks were in a posi-
ton to press on the flank of the
German advance.
The net result of the German at
tack. high American officer said
in France, would be the destruction
of much armor which the enemy
could i'll afford.
Below the area four American
spearheads were turned away from
overwhelmed Brittany and pointed
toward Paris along a 50-mile front
To the north the British thrust
new Paris-pointed spearheao
across the Orne on a 2-mile front
which threatened to sweep away
the enemy hinge below Caen, where
the Germans weeks-long stand al
ready was Knocked by the American
run around their dangling southern
flank.
Conveys Broken Up.
Supported by a close Allied nava
blockade which already had broker
up three German conveys appar
emily attempting a little Dun
kerque" from Brittany American
armor and infantry teams captured
four more towns in the Bretol
Peninsula In the closing stages of al
offensive which promised to clincl
control soon of the ports of Brest
st. Nazaire, Nantes, Lorient and st
Malo.
st. Malo, an ancient sea fortres.
and fishing port on Brittany's nortf
coast. was under attack by strons
forces, which broke through tn,
outer perimeter of landward de-
fenses at Chateauneuf.
The Americans were last reported
2 miles from the center of st. Male
which is connected with the main
land by causeway. Besieged man,
times in ancient days. st. NAL
never has been taken by storm.
The garrison of Lorient on tn
south coast already had offered t.
surrender, not awaiting the arriva
of the Americans who took the ia
nous city of Auray, 18 miles west O
vannes and 18 miles east of Lorient
No Recent News on Brest.
At Brest, the naval base at Brit
tany's tip, Americans were last re
ported in the outlying streets. N
recent news had come from tha
sector. The last official announce
ment said the Americans had takel
Huelgoat, 80 miles east of Bres
and miles northwest of Carhaix.
Gen. Bradleys armor also ha
been reported in the outlying street
of st. Nazaire, the big shipbuildin
center and U-boat base at tn
mouth of the Loire, and driving tn
last Is miles toward Nantes, cit
OF $4,000 few miles up the river
But there were no late report
either from st. Nazaire or Nantes.
llC f1lllCll lCdl1 OllClISlN6 III BTU
tany already had netted 1890 pris
oners and 3,400 Nazi dead, a sizeabl
addition to the divisions DESTROYED
in the Normandy debacle.
In their eastward push the Amer
leans already were closer to Pari
than they were a week ago to Brest
. city of 10000, which they reached
in last-lap dash of rs miles in {
day.
Spread Over 50-Mile Front.
Their four-headed push spreat
Sver a front of so miles extended
Aom Domfront straight down tn,
5farenne and Mayenne River Valley.
through Mayenne, Laval, Houssa,
ind Chateau Gontier.
Five bridgeheads across these riv
ers had been gained and the Amer.
(see FRANCE, Page A-D