Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-12-29
The WORLD
IN REVIEW
BY Mai. Gen.
D. P. Barrows

lldN Dttii ONsNh
by the unlooked-for thrust OF
German tank divisions and sup-
porting troops into the hilly,
forested area of the Ardennes
forest
Allied headquarters properly
will allow no news TO circulate
about the movement of Ameri-
can troops to meet this German
offensive.
But there is daily Informal
ton as 10 the points reached by
the swift drives of German
tanks and the positions of sup
porting infantry. where our own
American soldiers have given
them battle.
This necessary blackout Of
usual news has been taken
nervouSly by our field corre-
spondents. and in the absence of
official information, they have
delivered themselves of some
extraordinary implications Of
disaster.
These gloomy forecasts OF
German success of course do
no harm 10 the conduct of our
operations al the front but they
have brought anxiety and dread
10 many American households,
and this has been cruel.
CPEAkING personally, but
~ typically OF most American
families. there are three Of my
own dearest kinSmcn in the
American First and Third
armies, and their divisions hap
pen 10 be on the TWO Tanks
closest 10 the enemy'S assaults.
The mothers, wives and Sis
ters of these related soldiers
live close about me They search
for every scrap OF news. and
listen far into the night 10 radio
commentators. $3.50 ----- &C.,
They are brave and composed.
but IN the last week have
seen the lines OF anxiety cut
deeper INTO their faces. and |
know that behind their COM
posture there has been unusual
suffering.
:ASfit.-I=i14 iisT-=fsf4tiF
miStic in refusing TO regard this
German thrust as anything
threatening disaster 10 our
forces. II may temporarily sus-
pend oaF offensive IL may draw
into the ArdenneS troops which
Eisenhower has been using 70
maintain the powerful attacks
against the Cologne and Saar
sectors. TINS is. Of course,
what Won RunStcdt hopes lis
enhowcr will have 10 do
DUT let me confirm unCom-
ID promiSlngly that. first ! do
not believe that any American
army has been brok en-
through. Our First and Third
armies we're 50 miles apart and
the intervening hIlly country
was lightly held
Both armies have successfully
met the German rush where II
approached them. The First
Army quickly drove the Ger
mans out of Malmcdy and
Stavelot and on the south, took
Echternach. west of Tner
In the second place. no
VITAL lines Of communication
of either army have been cut.
nor have important supply
dumps been captured by the
enemy
In the tank battle along the
winding roads Of this eastern
sector Of the plateau we have
doubtless lost some tanks. but
probably not more than the
enemy.
In the third place, / would
not accept implicitly the Ger
man claims as TO the number OF
AIlttt " All NDiiilfiN ldhtH III ~
oner Such figures must always
be regarded critically and dis
counted heavily II was un-
aVoldable that the Germans
would overrun American OBJ
servation points and small COW
ering forces on so lightly held
a line.
II THE fourth place, we may
i look for a powerful American
assault upon the salIentS which
the enemy has driven into the
Ardennes. and Gen. Eisenhow-
er's order Of tho day" pub
lished last Thursday. probably
indicates the beginning of our
own Counteroffensive. And the
general asked. not merely for a
repulSe of the enemy. but for his
complete destruction
In a yelled situation like this.
we have 10 GO by the map. and
If the turtle r m oS points
reached by the enemy are noted
on a map of eastern Belgium, It
seems evident that his success.
during the last week. has been
limited. and that his hold on
this territory is feeble In fact,
the mere gaining Of this terrain
would have no military signifi-
canoe.
The situation seems to he like
that of an army close be-
lcaguered in a great citadel,
that finds its walls crumbling,
and its defense deteriorating.
and chooses 10 make what is
called a sally" into the open
field. and engage the besieger in