The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-04
Fall Of Great Ports
 Seen Imminent
CcOntinued from Page D

Ine distance of the American vanguard from their goals on the south coast was measured best not in miles but in terms of the rec 1lstance ahead of it and the speed with which it could be supplied with food, fuel and ammunition.
 The only definite news here this evening vas that the hard riding tankmen were well beyond Rennes and pushing strongly along the north coast beyond Dlnan.
 Alrmen who flew over the battle area below Avranches said the roads were packed with supply vehicles and reinforcements, sharply con trasting with the deserted highways on the German side.
 Injecting a note of caution, how- ever. observers pointed out that the spectacular speed of the American aFgnored advance in the last 10 days would strain any supply service, and dlMculties were increasing with every mile of advance.
 Enemy Broken
 AS in the German sweep through France in i040, the enemy had been broken on the Breton front, his communications ripped asunder. his available endorsements ex- hAusted and his entire campaign plan thrown into disruption.
 All around a rough arc of 75 to 100 miles bulging south and west through Brittany, the U. s. spear heads probed through strong points vital to any defense of the peninsula and its strategis harbor of Brest and Lorient.
 United Press Correspondent Rob- ert c. Miller said the on rushing Americans had pushed to the area of piprac, 22 l-2 miles south ot Rennes, had reached Bain de Bre- tasne nearby, and were at Mauron and St. Meen-La-Grande( to the northeast.
 The only formidable resistance by the estimated 25,00O German troops in Brittany-parts of four divisions was reported in the Rennes area. Miller said the fighting was espe- cially heavy at La Charbonniere, north of Rennes, and an airport south of the great transport center commanding most of the communi- cations throughout Brittany.
 The American appeared headed toward St. Nazaire, port and sub- marine base 37 miles south of Pi- priac, but could cut of the penin- suia with Q drive southwest to the Muzillac-la Roche Bernard area oi the coast only 3i miles from Pipriac. Another spearhead may be sent againts Nantes, 42 miles southeast of Pipriac.
 St. Nazaire and Nantes. along with Lorient and Brest, have been the main bases from which German submarines have been preying on Allied sea lanes in the Atlantic.
 Another American armored col- umn drove 26 miles southwest from Combourg, half way between Rem mes and the sea, to St. Meen-le Grand, g miles west of Rennes, Miller said. while infantry ap- preached Eyran. six miles south southeast of Dinan.
 American tanks at St. Meen were l05 miles from Brest, at the west ern tip of Brittany. astride the main highway from Rennes.
 Scores, perhaps hundreds. of towns. villages and roadside ham, lets were occupied or by-passed in the lightning-like American ad- vances. which were engulfing Brit tany like spring flood.
 Little or no enemy resistance was reported except at Montfort-Sur- Meu, IF miles west of Rennes, where the garrison was putting up stiff fight. American infantry also were fighting in the streets of Rennes late last night. Miller said, despite U. S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stinson's announcement that the city had been captured yesterday.
 Both Rennes and Montfort-Sur- Meu were hopelessly outfianked, however, and it appeared they soon would be cleared of the enemy.
 Tanks Cross Rance
 Other reports reaching supreme headquarters disclosed that the Americans had smashed across the Rance river, captured Dinan and pressed on to the west along the northern road to Brest. Outfianked by the advance were the fishing vil- lages of St. Maio and Dinard, on the north coast of Brittany i2 miles above Dinan.
 The Germans were believed to have had 25,000 troops in Brittany, including remnants of the 265th, 266th and 343rd Infantry and End PaTatroop divisions, at the start of the American break through.
 Thousands already have been cap- kufed and the remainder were scat- tered throughout the peninsula in small groups incapable of anything anproaching effective resistance against armored columns that have pushed well over 100 miles from their jumping-oh point for the of- fensive il days ago.
 Supreme headquarters estimated that the Allies since D-Day June . have killed. wounded or captured le0O0O GeTmans-roughly half the total of German troops so far coTl- mitted in the battle of France. Some enemy divisions have been mauied so badly companies of l50 have been reduced to 25 men.
 American troops alone captured 70.000 prisoners, including 5000 in the 2l hours ended Thursday after noon. Another 10000 have been Kill. ed by the Americans and 4OOOo wounded, while the British 2nd Army has captured 30O0O prisoners and killed or wounded anothtr sO,' 0o0.
 Flank Rolled Up
 While his southern forces pressed the liberation of Brittany, other el- ements of It. eGn. Omar N. Brad" levs American list army rolled up tlle German flank in Normandy.
 A..a.ioan is,fantru further nar-