Evening star., 1944-08-20

/ l. .:::::.::. SIfbh 1obi ONOLn
| ::::: ::::::. ALLIED CONTROL
emy airfields. railroad centers,
bridges. everything which might be
OF use to the Nazis in moving sup
plies and equipment, either to or
from the battle lines. Monday, $500
planes were out on these missions.
Tuesday, 1000 planes dropped 5000
tons of bombs on 19 airfields. We'd
nesday the same number struck at
four synthetic oil plants and various
plane factories and airfields. Thurs
day the Ploesti oil fields and the
ports of Kiel and Stettin were raid
ed in force. Friday there was a re-
newal of Nazi air opposition at the
battle front for time but the Luft-
waite soon withdrew after fairly
heavy losses. Ploesti was hit again
Saturday.
Little Change in Italy.
In Italy there is not much
change in the situation along the
Arno River line. This may be ex-
planned in part by the fact that
among the troops making the land
ing in Southern France were at
least three divisions which had seen
service in Italy.
The Germans reported Monday
that large conveys of Allied troops
were pouring through the Straits of
Gibraltar, though this was not con-
firmed by the Allies. 1t is not prob
able that any such troops would
have been in the initial landings
along the Riviera the following day
and if the German report is true,
they might be intended to reinforce
the landing or to open still another
front. Ankara reported later in the
week that landing had been made
in Albania but this also lacked con-
flrmation from Allied sources.
A close censorship of the news
from the Middle East has led to
some speculation concerning future
moves in the Balkans, where Bull
garia Is said to be attempting to
withdraw from the war
Germans Resist Reds.
Stiffened German resistance on
the various active sectors of the long
Russian front at least temporarily
slowed down the progress of the Red
armies toward German soil although
1t was reported Friday that one
force moving down in Lithuania
actually had crossed into East Prus-
sia At any rate, the Nazis were said
to have set fire to many towns on
their side of the border, apparently
anticipa ting Russian success in that
area.
First signs of a crackup in that
area came Monday when the Nazis
admitted that they had withdrawn
from Osowiec, an important rail
center about Is miles south of the
East Prussian border and key to the
Masurian Lake country. The drive
in this direction would be part of
pincers movement against East
Prussia with the Lithuanian Army
forming the upper prong.
Berlin admitted Monday that be-
tween 20 and Is German divisions
have been cut off from land COM
munication with the Reich by the
Russian corridor to the Baltic Sea
west of Riga. A new drive against
these enemy forces started from the
Lake Pskov area early in the week.
Tuesday the Russians had driven
to within two miles of the southern
border of East Prussia, while other
forces hit hard at the German rear
in the SuWalki triangle. Fierce
lighting occurred in the move to
flank Moscow, while far southwark
the Reds made further advances
toward Upper Silesia in the Krakow
area.
BY the end of the week the Rus
sian 3rd Baltic Army was poised for
the drive to cross the East Prussian
border after smashing a heavy Ger
man tank attack which apparently
was a last desperate effort to keep
the Reds from German soil. On
other fronts, the Russians appar-
entity were massing great strength
lor a crushing new series of offenses
and the final assault to take Moscow
appeared imminent.
Pacific Air Activity Heavy.
In the Pacific action was confined
TO bombing raids which hit the Japs
all the way from the Kuriles to
Hamahera below the Philippines
ana as far west as the Pescadores
Islands between Formosa and China
Without letup Allied planes kent
up the attack, destroying jap planes
on the ground and smashing air
fields and other shore installations
1t was announced from Admiral
Nimitz' headquarters that all Jana
nese outer island possessions are
now dependent upon makeshift
shipping facilities for supplies such
as gasoline and ammunition and
that the Allied blockade Is most
effective.
Undoubtedly Japanese bases are
being softened for new strikes which
might come simultaneously or in a
series of heavy thrusts. The lack
OF resistance in the Kuriles, at the
Bonin Islands, less than 600 miles
from Toxic and at Halmahera, in
dicates how devastating the air
warfare has been.
No comfort to the enemy was
President Roosevelt's statement that
Japan will be occupied nor will
Tokyo put it down as idle Dragging
when Admiral Nimitz declared that
it is easily possible that Japan will
be knocked out OF the war before