Evening star., 1944-08-19
U. S. Troops Reported at Seine>
Threatening to Close Off Paris;
Marsei||e Drive F|anks Tou|on
Escape Route Of
Two Nuzi Armies
Menoced by Push
BULLETIN.

l. ~ IN IL IN tf).-AnerlCan
armored columns, springing a
new trap below the Seine on
the German army fleeing Nor
mandy, struck within 5 miles
of the river at Nantes, north
west of Paris, even as German
demolitions rocked the capital
today. Berlin said the Amer
leans had reached the river at
Nantes and Vernon. This
push, carrying 18 miles north
east from DreuX, flung a new
development on the Germans,
cutting their last escape route
other than flight across the
virtually bridgeless Seine.
1t was the second time 1t.
Gen. George S. Pattons Sd
Army had veered west of the
capital, seeking entrapment
of huge German forces. in
stead of pushing toward Paris
itself.
A Reuters dispatch from
Stockholm quoted the Berlin
correspondent of Aftonbladet
as saying three American col
umns were now fighting in the
suburbs of Paris. There was
no Allied confirmation.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON. Aug. 19-United
States spearheads have reached
the Seine at points 81 and AZ
miles northwest of Paris in a
slashing offensive, Berlin said
today, which threatened to close
off the retreat of fleeing Ger
mans below the river and to cut
off Paris from western France.
The battle for France assumed
proportions of rout Fall of Paris
appeared matter of time
German broadcasts asserted Amer
lean tanks were clashing south of
the city with German security
forces" and said other American
units we're roaming within IL miles
of Paris.
The battle of the western front is
In its last stage of pursuit and an
nihilation, supreme headquarters
declared. Many Germans were fee
ing northward and eastward on foot
after Allied planes destroyed or
damaged $500 vehicles on congested
roads in "a hours.
Petain Reported Moving.
The Nazi radio declared Chief of
State Marshal Petain was moving
his government from Vichy. and
that Pierre Laval, chief of govern
ment and German officials already
had fled Paris.
There was no confirmation from
supreme headquarters of the Ger
man reports of American spear
heads reaching Nantes and Vernon
near Paris If true, it means 1t
Gen. George S. Patton's tank col
umns were building a series of
pockets south of the almost bridge
less Seine for the German 7th Army
and part of the 18th Army falling
back from defeat in Normandy.
A senior British staff officer at
the front predicted Marshal Guen-
ther Won Kluge's forces could not
stop at the Seine River.
British and Canadian troops
pushed eastward along the Nor
mandy coast and beyond Caen in a
pursuit which was COMPRISING an
estimated 10000 to 100000 German
remnants against the Seine and the
jaws Of the Patton trap.
Secrecy Shrouds Patton Drives.
Berlin broadcasts which said
American tanks were fighting Ger
man security forces south of Paris.
added that "a direct thrust of these
American forces on Paris is not on
at the moment"
Supreme headquarters maintained
secrecy on Gen. Patton's drives. but
said armored patrols had pushed out
from Dreux, Chartres and Orleans
in ring west and south of Paris
In several directions, and in some
cases had withdrawn.
Berlin indicated the thrusts north
ward to the Seine to close off Won
Kluge's withdrawal. were from
Dreux. Nantes is % miles northeast
Of DreuX, and Vernon is Is miles
due north. Supreme headquarters
announced only that the bridgehead
across the Eure River at Dreux had
been "enlarged.'
With Laval in flight from Paris
were German Ambassador Otto
Abetz and all personnel of the Ger
man Embassy, Berlin radio said It
added Petain's government was con-
(Seo EpANCE Dooo Ao1