The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-02
The War On
 MonyFronts
By LOUIS F. KEEMLE United Press War Editor)

Fifth Army forces smashed into the most strongly defended sector of the German Alban hills line below Rome today, entering Velletri in savage street fighting and cutting across the Casilina way outside Valmontone.
 The core of German resistance, backed by the whole Hermann Goer- ing division, centered around Val montone to defend the highway, and it appeared to be breaking. The Fifth Army was attacking from there all along the 26-mile front to the sea and the battle of Rome was approaching the clamatic phase.
 As the fighting ragged only 13 miles from the capital, where the distant gunf1re was audible, Pope Plus VXII called on the belligerents to spare the eternal city from the ravages of war. Addressing the col- lege of Cardinals, he urged the op- posing powers to reach peace "de- signed according to Christian doc trine." No peace dictated by force of arms would be just, he said, add ing that demands for total victory might pjrolong the war needlessly.
 Offensive
 The terrific pre-invasion aerial ocensive against Europe meanwhile went on from Britain and Italy Strong forces of American bombers crossed the channel into France to- day in the wake of powerful night blows by the RAF at railway centerS in France and Hungary.
 The cracking of the Alban hills defenses was accompanied by swift advance of the Allied Eighth Army along the Via Casilina 19 miles to the southeast. The official com muniques said the Germans were falling back so rapidly they did not have time to blow up roads and bridges in the path of their retreat.
 Canadians of the Eighth Army, advancing from captured Frosinone, reached Ferentino, six miles farther along the Casilina way in the direc- tion of Valmontone. Only small side road branches of from there northwestward into the hills and it seemed probable that 8 considerable part of the retreating Greman forces would be squeezed between the elements of the Fifth astride the highway near Balmontone.
 The latter stronghold. now partly encircled. appeared destined to fall to Omerican armored forces who have been fighting their way towards 1t from Artena since that town was taken a week ago.
 The special communique which announced the penetration of Vel letri said fierce fighting was going on inside the town. The advance units which entered it had to fight without the support of their tanks, which were stopped in the outskirts by fire from self-propelled enemy guns.
 North of Velletri. the Allied posi- ton was strengthened by their newly-won hold on Mt. Peschio and Mt. Artemisio, high peaks dominat- ing the battle area from around Lake Nemi.
 In last nights operations, RAP bombers from Britain smashed hard at Saumur, important railway clear ing center 100 miles inland from St. Nazaire between Nantes and Tours. Others pounded the coastal defenses and tWin-engined Mosquitoes at- tackled an unspecified target in Nor way. RAF bombers from Italy blasted Szolnok, Hungarian rail bot tleneck 30 miles eas tof Budapest.
 On the Russian front, Moscow announced that Soviet forces had attacked vigorously north of Iasi in an effort to regain the initiative on the Romanian front after destroy ing l66 tanks and PIP planes in beating of three days of German assaults.
 Tn the Pacific, endorsements were being landed on Biak island off New Guinea to aid American troops whose advance on the MOk- mer Rirtleld was halted by uney- pectedly strong Japanese Teslst- ance. The achievements were moved in without naval or air inc reference from the enemy,
 On the mainland, chungking rec ported that the Japanese were mass ing for Q drive to clear Chinese forces from all Of eastern China in preparation for it's defense against American landings along the coast. chnngking said four strong Japa- nese columns were eolsing in for 6 direct assault on Changsha end changteh, and that 5000 others