The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-21

I his armies meeting Ignomlnous defeat aS the Russians drove them back toward Germany, battering down his strongholds, killing and taking captive hundreds of thou sands of his soldiers, Hitler dee clded to strongly resist the ad- vance of Eisenhower's forces in Italy, He issued this defiance in Munich, 'The war can last as long as they want and we will never capitulate Germany will lay down its arms only i've minutes past victory,
 It was during this time that two more epooh-making confer ences were being held between the United Nations, President Roosevelt again had flown the At lantic, and with Prime Minister Churchill and deneralisSlmo Chi- ang Kal-shek held a five-day con- ference ct Cairo November 22-27, l94S), Four days after this con- ference Roosevelt and Churchill were with Premier Stalin at Tehe- ran, in Iran, shaping Q common policy for the destructin of the German forces and 0 peace which will banish the scourge and terror of war for many generations
 General Eisenhower was missing Q few days from the scenes in Italy. He had gone to ancient Carthage on the African coast to meet President Roosevelt For 48 hours they were cloSeted together in conference. Here, 1t was later revealed, the Pres. ident informed the general about decisions which had been reached with Stalin and Churchill,
 During this conference President Roosevelt conferred upon General Eisenhower the decoration of the Legion of Merit. The citation con- eisely recorded the generals notable achievements since the beginning of the war:
 "lie planned for and supervised with marked ability and eonspieu- ous success the planning and ear- rying out of the largest coneen- tr0tion of troops ever assembled on the American continent and their subsequent participation in large .Scale mNneuverS He played c major part in placing in effect the United States Army's plans for war , . he served with distinction during 0 most critical period in the history of the United States He rendered inValu- able service by organizing the Eu- ropeNn Theater, establishing an of. feetive supply system and training and preparing for battle the large American Ground and Ar Forces which have since played such an Important part in active operations from the United Kingdom, in Africa, and in Italy, Ills outstanding con- tribution to the Allied cause and to the successes now being realized by the Armed Forces of the United States are deserving of the highest praise and reflect great credit upon himself md the military service"
 Upon his return to his staff, Gen. erNl Eisenhower made this cryptic Statement' T have just been in conference with the Commander-in- Chief, Your part is going to be Q vital one-one that will require more and more work from uS,"
 On ChfitsmAS Eve, General Eisen. hover was ct the front visiting the Fifth Army when he received e message informing him that he had been officially named by President Roosevelt to command the forces of invasion on new Western Front,
 Two days later, on December 27, l043, General Eisenhower dellver- ed his farewell speech to his armies and naval forces In Italy and North Africa
 on the occasion of his farewell to British and American correSpond- ents he pledged c lo44 victory in Europe If everyone oil tho way from the front lines to the remotest hamlet does his full duty"
 General Eisenhower disappeared for 20 days, Nothing was heard or seen of him On January i0, le44, he appeared in England to take up his new command in preparation for the Second Front It was then discovered that he had crossed the Atlantic by air, conferred with Gen. efal Marshall, President Roosevelt and Secretary of War StimSon in Washington visited some Of his wounded soldiers in the hospital, held reunion with his wife, flown up to West Point to meet his son, and then taken bomber to Kan sas to spend Q night with his mother and brother,
 The general also had eonfered With Prime Minister Churchill, who was stricken with pneumonia at the time, before returning to London
 ElsenhowerS headquarters in Eng lang were ready when he arrived and the only travel casualty was his dog, who was detained in canine quarantine TOT Six weeks.
 The general sent this message to the United States in e War Bond appeal; We arc going to hit tho enemy and hit him again and keep hitting him until the last measure of Nazi resistance is crushed to beaten earth. There Is no other course, Military defeat Is the only logic that . Nazi understands. I do not expect that the Nazis will accept it quickly or without fierce resist ance."
 NEXT; Supreme Commander.