The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-17

| Germans. It runs from Lorient and St. Nazaire on the north to Royan and Pointe de Grade keys to the Gironde estu- ary and therefore to the giant port of Bordeaux which the FFI liber- ated months ago.
 Harried by the Allied armies north of the Loire and by the EFT south of the river, these large German forces retired to positions which they had long fortified stocked and prepared for just the role they are now playing; delaying as long as possible Allied entry into key ports of the Atlantic.
 LACK ALL BUT SPIRIT
 The Germans are well dug in, have with them tanks, including Tigers, and heavy artillery up to 240 millimeter naval guns. They are said to have at least three months food supplies. These supplies were almost untouched during the summer, for heavily armed German units went on frequent grain and cattle forays against neighboring farms and vil- lages.
 Other supplies are regularly flown in from Germany-unoppoSed by the FIT air force, which consists prim- arily of handful of planes rebuilt from aircraft shot down or stolen from the Germans. Also flown in are key German officers, mail and news papers-all to boost morale and make sure none gives vent to his de- featiSm by Surrendering.
 In the field opposing this we'll armed German army is a force of perhaps 45,OO0 volunteers of the French Forces of the Interior. There are probably that many again in the FFI who are ready and waiting to fight but for their lack of clothes, guns and ammunition.
 Everywhere along the Atlantic front found the same story. The FFI lacks clothing, lacks guns, lacks ammunition - indeed lacks every thing except the spirit necessary to wipe out these German SalientS ill the west.
 One front-line company saw had five different types of ries-British, American, Belgian, French and Ger man - which they had received by parachute or plunder. In another area saw company come out o1 the line without its rifles. These had been handed over to the men o1 the relief company because there weren't enough weapons to ge around.
 It's already well below freezing al the front at night. Even during the day it's cold, with 8 wet, penetrat- ing wind blowing in from the Allan tic. Yet saw men in line dressed in linen summer clothes without any overcoats at all. At least one-third of the men are in partly civilian dress. Some are even in shorts. Il real winter sets in before help comes this front is going to be Valley Forge.
 MEN ARE BITTER
 From this situation great bitter. ness is growing up against the AL lies-and especially against the Uni. ted States. Most men of the EFT believe that clothing, guns anC munitions can come from Americs alone and they wonder why they haven't received them.
 Responsible officers of the FIT art first to realize why they could moi be given first priority on supplies Most troops are not trained for full scale modern warfare. There is z certain amount of lack of discipline What can you expect" a colone asked me when I commented on the fact that the guard had not salutec him, when men have neither proper uniforms nor proper weapons?"
 On the other hand, Colonel Ade. line, commander of the southern half of the Atlantic front and regu. lar army officer who graduated iron St. Cyr in 1916, told me that his mer have had sufficient training to dC the job. Naturally, we would have to adapt Maquis-style tactics ir part" he said, but given arms w could clear the Germans out.'
 Throughout the Atlantic from officers and men of the FFT also realize that Allied supply problem. on the eastern front are tremendous as it is-without the additional bur. den of supply on the western front But they feel that the strain-tht supplying of few tens of thousands would be unnoticed in supply line. which feed, arm and clothe mil. lions of Allied soldiers.
 They feel doubly bitter because they have risked so much for tn, Allied cause and contributed SC much to it. One small unit now underarmed and underclothed at the front held up a whole German armored division in the Dordgons for a week during early June when its presence in Normandy would have aided the Nazis cause tremend- ously.
 ASK FOR BOMBINGS
 And they feel bitter because they