The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-26
Reds Launch Galati
 Gap Assault
tcontinued from Page lD

, against their former Allies in com pliance with Romania's declaration of var against the Reich
 "A London broadcast recorded by CHS said the Russian sweep in Ro-
 mania was mo longer a rout, but merely a mopplng-up operation. |" The road to Bucharest appeared tc
 be open. the broadcast said, and the Russians should arrive there within a few daysD
 There was no indication. however, tine Romanian generally were aided in disarming Of the Germans. 4 dispatch to the Army organ Red Star reported the sole instance of effective collaboration occurred in the TyrguniamtZ area of northwest Moldayia. There a Roinanian regi- ment suddenly turned its guns on a German division and killed many of its members then surrendered more than 360 German prisoners to the Red Army.
 Lose IEalf ef Army
 The Romalians, who had lost more than half their Army in pre- s1ous battles and the bulk of the remainder in the present offensive. were believed incapable of render ing effective aid in the expulsion Of the Germans from the Balkans. which remains the principal job of the Russians and their Allies.
 "A Bucharest broadcast, recorded by BEG in London. quoted Tuliu Manui. president of the National Peasant party. that Allied troops and our men from the former front line are nearing the capital"
 ROmanian troops were reported by various sources to have joined Russian forces by the thousands when King Michael accepted Rus sian arinistice terms and ordered them to cease fighting the Red ArIny)
 The two Soviet armies. conyerging on the gap, were supported by Red Army boInbers, pounding a path through the German forces block ing the way tO R0mania's capital and the vital Ploesu oil eds.
 In the lightning drive that brought a 30-miie advance yesterday, the Russian armies encircled l2 Maxi possibly i20000 men, in q comparatively small area south. west of Kishiney, where they were being pounded to pieces.
 4 eommunique said five Of the divisions, equipped with tanks and guns, attempted to break from the trap tTl a desperate effort to reach the Prut river fer Fies. but yere thrown back witi enormous" losses.
 Several thousand were captured,
 Critical Position
 4 M0sooY broadcast, heard n | London. claimed the position Of the enircled German troops was beeom" | ing more critical by tue bOlT.)
 The quickening Russian offensive | was extended to the Baltic front | where Soviet troops captured Tartil vital Estonian rail and university 1 city and swept tO within 6t miles of the sea iD drive that threatened tO split the German forces between l Riga and TalliDD
 Tine greatest strikes, however, | were made iD Roinanla where tue | 2Dd and 3rd UkTaiDlan armies were | unl00sing sledge ,hammeT blows at | the staggered German forces iD . great push t0 the ltOlnapiaD apital ID the last six days the ty0 armies | killed or captured 205 900 NaZls and | liberated more than 300 towns and Tie .,Ss.Es aSeAeS, l spearheadhd by iallKs hIia sHbeET | swinging G0ssaekg BeTe rapidly aps the eastern and western | basti0ns 0t the s5yHpile-wide gap 70 the mountains leading to the eaplS tai nd the njl fields.
 Gen. GeOd0T L, T0lbukhip's 2Td army hafnIHered It's way Co the eastern bank 0f the Prut river On a 47-Dile front from T0Nat io Cabul, bringing the Soviet lines within 32 miles Of 6alati 0D the eastern edge Of the gap between the DaDube estuary and the caF'
 S0sAlile AdVapee
 On the vest, Marshal R0dlOp Y MallIl0gsky led hls 2nd Army through 2 30-mjle advance yesters day that carried t0 Teeuei l4 miles n0ltheasi Of F0esaDi, the 0iheT baYs rieT to tlle gap,
 gD aDturiDg Teeilel, MalinOyskys men were within % nllle6 of ts0s UlaDia'g rich Pl0eslI 0li fields.
 Other units Of the STG ukFainlaD aFNy struck 70 the northern arm of the DaDybe Tiger at Cbilia N0lis, e mlles inland from the Black Seq ard ST miles east Of 0alau,
 Tn one sector north 0f T'eeiiei, tle e0BWYBlgDe faiG ty0 regiments Of ROinaIlIall infaBtFy iaid down tbfiF aFms, gbiDe in anOiher sector Soviet troops captured 70 tanks, aii tD eoipv piete working order.
 As the Germans fell back under ibe steady Soviet blows, the eoins DDuniqlie said the number of pFlss Oilers ges rising iifieeaslneiy," eild tile Soviet information bureaw re- ported that more than JOS A00 Ger. mans and n0manians had been captured ln lile Ronanian eampaistl ard another i00000 killed.
 Among the prif0neTE were three Romanian generals. including Gen, Tensescu TFalaHl, e0nnman09r Of the li0th R0manian division.