The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-18
The War On Many Fronts
By LOUIS F. KEEMLE United Press War EditOr)


 French troops of the Allied Fiftt Army in Italy broke into the Adol Hitler line today as the Germans admitted the loss of Casino and tht Allied command announced that thu battle of the Gustav line lis draw ing to a close" Other war develop ments were:
 l. The swift pace of the Allied advance on the Italian front was accompanied by an upsurge of in- vasion expectancy in western Eu- rope. The Berlin radio quoted Mar shal Erwin Rommel of the anti invasion command as saying that an Allied landing may begin al any moment now" The London Daily Mail reported that an emer- gency meeting of the defense con- lnand under Marshal Gerd Vor Rundstedt had been called at Ger man headquarters in France.
 2. Moscow announced renewed Red Army activity on the Russian front both in Bessarabia and old Poland.
 3. The Allied air offensive against Western Europe came to 6 dead halt during the night, presum. ably because of weather, but the German news agancy DINE saic American planes from Italy had at- tackled targets in the Balkans.
 4. On the other side of the world, important gains were made in the Allied campaign to drive the Japanese out of northern Burma and reopen the supply route tc China. Characterization forces captured the southern airdrome al Myitkyina, main Japanese base ir North Central Burma. while the Chinese driving westward across the Salwee nriver were reported making excellent progress.
 COmmunique
 The Allied communique in Italy disclosed that troops of the Fifth and Eighth Armies were storming the outre defenses of the Hitler line at many places" A break-through was made by French Colonials south of the Liri Valley. They captured Esperia, first important strong point on the Hitler Line, and drove into the line to occupy Mts. Lago ano Martina. two and thre miles respec- lively west of Esperia.
 The communique did not mention the fall of Casino, but front re- ports said British armored advance units had driven across the Casilina highway and railroad at two points southwest of Cassino to effect 6 junction with Polish units of the Eighth Army coming down from the northwest. The Via Casilina leading through the Hitler line to- wards Rome, was the only German escape route out of partly-encircled Casino.
 American forces operating dowT towards the sea below the French positions advanced rapidly through weakening German lines, gaining more than { i-2 miles. They took Mt. Ruazzo, 6 i-2 miles west of cap. tured Spigno, and at one point were within two miles of Formia coastal anchor of the Hitler line
 FlurFy
 1T llle bteppeu"up tnFhklon uuffy in London, the Daily Mails informa ton was contained in q dispatch from Madrid. which said Rundstedi met with Rommei and Gen. Blasko. witz. army group commanders ,ant Admiral Krancke. commander O German forces in the west. in { hurried session which originally haG been scheduled for next week.
 The dispatch tended to suppor previous reports that Rundstedt wa in supreme command of the hna defense of the reich. which woulG mean that the job had been takei out of the hands Of the Nazl cliqul in the army and turned over to tn old-line military group. Rommel however. would have an impoFtan 6eId post, since the dispatch indi