The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-02
Both Fronts IN
Position For
Knockouts
lBy the Assoclated Pressl

Turkey broke of diplomatic and
economic relations with Germany
today. Allied armies on the west.
ern and eastern fronts smashed
into positions threatening German
armed forces with knockout blows.
Premier Sukru Saracoglu was
quoted as saying that whether Tur.
key entered the war depended upon
Germany's attitude. II was appar.
emit, however, that the Turks no
longer feared the Nazis and that
they felt the Allies were we'll on
their way toward final victory.
Sweep Forward
In the swiftly developing battle
for France, American armor swept
forward into Brittany against
foe so disorganlzed that bridges,
dams and towns were seized In.
tact. One spearhead drove through
Pontorson, 10 miles southwest OF
and 35 miles north OF
the ancient Brittany capital OF
Rennes. Another column driving
eastward onto the plain OF France
captured Montgothler, seven miles
southeast of Avranches.
The British broke into the GEN.
ter of German defenses in Norman.
dy to a depth OF IL miles below
Caumont. A headquarters spokes.
man on the Caen front said, the
Germans can't think of pulling
back to Paris. Marshal Erwin
Rommel must stand and fight on
high ground between VillersBocage
and Caen and | think we shall de-
stroy him there"
Face Entrapment
The Germans in Normandy were
threatened with entrapment In a
huge pincers operation between
the British. Canadian held Caen an.
Choir and, the Asnarican drive cant.
ward from Avranches.
Russian forces that reached the
Baltic Sea west OF Riga closed a
trap on two disorganized German
armies in LatVia and Estonia. The
Russian air force menaced any at
tempt at escape by sea. The Mos
COW communique said, "our troops
have cut all roads leading from
the Baltic to East Prussia.
Extended Attack
Other Russian forces extended a
triple-pronged attack on East Prus-
STA following the capture OF Kan
mas, pre-war capital OF Lithuanin.
Red Army artillery was reported
Smelling positions on German soil.
Moscow reported there was evil
dence that the Red Army was lay
ing the ground work for great vic
tory" around flaming Warsaw.
British troops closed In slowly
on the outer defenses OF Florence
in north Italy. New Zealanders
consolidated their hold on La Ro-
mola, six and one-half miles south
west OF Florence. An Indian divi-
sion occupies Castiglione, 10 miles
from tho city.
Unfavorable weather grounded
virtually all Allied aircraft based
In Britain and Italy last night.
IMAM conquered
Tinian Island has been conquer
ed, enemy resistance is dislntegrat.
ing rapidly on Guam and. said a
broadcast credited to Tokyo to-
day, American troops have launch
ed their fourth Marianas invasion
with landings on Rota.
There was no Allied conhrma-
ton OF the reported move against
Rota. which lies between Guam
and Tinian, but % American sea
and air attacks since June IL pre-
sumably had Il ripe for invasion,
Adm. Chester Nimitz announced
la night that Tinian, after nine
days OF land fighting. had been con-
quered. Organized resistance col.
lapsed Monday night, Two fine
airhelds, already in operation. and
a harbor were fruits OF the cam
paign, which was speeded to It's
swift end by a lethal American
secret weapon.
Seal Doom
Marines and Army troops on
Guam crammed 10000 enemy sol
diers toward Guam's northern end,
sealing their doom. Another har-
Dor and airfeld and Agana. the
capital city, already were In L. s..
hands and in use. Planes aided
the cleanup by unloading bombs
and rockets on the trapped Japa-
nese,
Allied forces on New Guinea ex.
banded their vogelkop Peninsula
beachhead and went over to the
offensive 20 miles eastward against
As, 900 hemmed.in japanese in the
Aitake- Wewak sector. The Ameri.
cans, encountering no opposition
since their Monday landing at San
sapor village at the northwest tip
OF New Guinea, branched out 10
miles from the beachhead and got
busy clearing the land for an air.
field some 500 miles from the
Philippines.
Cross River
American battallons crossed the
Driniumor River east OF Aitape and
attacked enemy contingents who
have been trying to break out Of
their trap. Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthurs airmen, meanwhile. con.
tinued attacks on Japanese ship
ping on Halmahera. the island
which stands between his forces
and the southern Philippines.
Brig. Gen. Robert Douglas, Jr.,
commanding the 9TH Airforce, ex-
planned the avid American quest
for airdromes in the Pacific. say
See WAR-PsSe 2