Evening star., 1944-08-22
Parton Opens Drive Down Seine
As Other Forces Press Inland;
Nazi Escape Route Cut at TouIon
a Armies Fashion
New Pocket for
Fleeing Enemy
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SUPREME ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, Aug. 22.-American
columns struck powerfully down
the Seine River today, and three
other Allied armies wheeled in
land from the west in a gigantic
new pincers designed to trap
battered, diSorganized Germans
fleeing to the bridgeless rivH.
Supreme headquarters, disclosing
the fresh cutoff operation. declared
1900 enemy tanks had been de-
stroyed or damaged since D-day-
armored strength equivalent to six
and one-half NaZi Panzer divisions
and field estimates said more than
100000 Germans had been put out
of action in Western France since
June 6.
The Argentan- -Falaise pocket is
yielding at least 100000 Germans
captured, killed and wounded, ac-
cording to best available informa-
tion. The American Sd Army In 81
days Of vast, speedy fanking opera
tions accounted for more than
100000 more. AS many more were
eliminated earlier in Normandy.
Drive Northwestward.
1t. Gen. George S. Patton's Sd
Army pounded northwestward along
the looping Seine from its bridge
head at Mantes-Gassicourt. 25 miles
northwest of Paris. bringing in the
eastern arm of the pincers on Ger
man 7th Army remnants stumbling
back to the Seine and seeking to
escape by ferries small boats and
even swimming
Canadian, British and American
armies striking eastward in this en-
veloping push gained up to 10 miles.
Heavy fighting was reported in
the Paris area American forces
met heavy resistance at Etampes, q
miles south Of Paris.
Berlin announced evacuation
Of both Etampes and Malesher-
bes, 36 miles below Paris and IA
southwest of the American
brldgehead across the Seine at
Fontainebleau. The Germans said
probing thrusts in the Orleans
area southwest of Paris were
2hecked.D
Orleans was under shellfire and
there was fighting at Rambouillet.
% miles southwest of Paris.
Since June the Allies have
counted 100 destroyed enemy tanks
behind their lines and 500 damaged
tanks. Others remain to be tailed.
Nazis Unable to Make Stand.
Front dispatches declared the
Germans were so disorganized they
had been unable to make any CO.
orclnated stand or launch strong
counterthrustS.
The Canadian LIST Army advanced
4 to 10 miles on a 50-mile front be-
tween the sea and Argentan, Bel
glan units took Cabourg on the
Dives Estuary, 16 miles across water
from LIE Havre. Dutchmen fought
In the outskirts of Houlgate. British
troops, gaining 10 miles, seized Gace,
ID miles east of Argentan. The
American lst Army also was pound
ing in toward the Seine.
Germans being trapped in the new
pocket were surrendering by pla-
toons," Canadian officer declared.
Thirty thousand prisoners already
have been taken in the Falaise trap.
with thousands more surrendering
The dead were yet uncounted.
Pocketed Germans have been virtu-
ally wiped out.
Thorough Shellacking.
Front dispatches said Marshal
Guenther Won Kluge presumably had
pulled out large part of his forces,
but they were by no means saved as
yet. They have taken a thorough
shellacking, and they know it, said
one American officer.
The Germans lost 80 tanks and
Is planes trying to protect forces
fleeing north of the Seine above
Nantes, front reports said. The
Americans strengthened their grip
here. and patrolled southeastward
toward Paris. Substantial gains
were scored southwest of Paris.
Reports that French patriots were
seizing city after city in Central
and Southern France, including
Lyon, gave a clear indication that
the Gestapo dominated German
high command was capable of offer
ing organized resistance to the Allies
only in Northwestern France.
Flank Positions frightened.
In the area of Dreux, As miles
southwest of the heart of Paris, Gen.
Patton's troops also tightened their
fSee ND NCE nooo -