The Wilmington morning star., 1944-12-03
In To The Weather

oral Eisenhower and Field Marshal Mont
o, mery has given the impression IN many
quarters that the British commander has
been chosen to deliver the blow intended 10
brea-. through Nazi defenses in the north ana
nrec;nit.te the crisis in the battle on the
Cologne plain.
Without attempting to say if this is the plan
or nos Dewitt Mackenzie asks what captain
could. handle it better than the great Mont
gomery, who ION his marshal's baton as one
Of the wars greatest tactical experts?'
Sharing the view on leadership OF the great
drive are Berlin commentators. what Ber-
lin doesn't know, however, Mackenzie con-
tinues land what we don't know is when
General Ike is likely to swing his haymaker."
His own idea he says, is that it now de-
pends largely on the weather-"clear skies for
the all-important air forces. and frost that
will tighten up the awful fields OF mud
The writer, whose daily analyses OF war
situations are strikingly accurate continues:
up 10 this point there have been other
factors causing delay. One, Of course, has
been the necessity of ironing out strategical
Jumps in the Allied battleline whole. and,
while there still is spade work to be done, our
fl ont seems fairly well set Another vital
lem now has been solved by the opening
only four days ago-of the great port of Ant
werp through which the wherewithal will be
funneled to the Allied 'front.'
THAT puts it up to the weather man, who's
been mighty unfriendly to our side. Still,
the Allied command was well aware that the
ola fellow was bound to be short-tempered at
this time of year. Thus Eisenhower acted
Deliberately when he took the chances again
with the elements against which he has pitted
his wits steadily since the stormy crises of
the Normandy invasoin.
The supreme commanders reasons seem
clear enough. He didn't want to stand still
and so give the Germans the leeway Of the
winter months in which to create fresh re-
serves and get further set to meet the final
Allied onslaught.
Today we see Nazi Field Marshal Won
Rundstedt's 400mile battle line under the
fierce pressure of six Allied armies-with
other Allied forces ready to come into action.
He has committed about everything he can
muster to the final Defense Both sides are
poised for the big test-which will indicate
how long the European war will last. The
humiliation of Won Rundstedts forces is the
immediate issue.
Under these circumstances it's highly in
tel estng to see the Soviet embassy in Wash
irgton issue statement that what now is
needed is "a vigorous assault by the armies
Of the United Nations to crush Hitler Ger
many with the shortest delay This has
been widely interpreted as perhaps meaning
that Moscow finally is about ready to stage
its big drive against Hitlers powerful Vistula
line in Poland, thereby putting the Fuehrer
under unbearable pressure.
BE that as may, surely the Red armies as
we'll as those of the western Allies are in the
hands OF the weather man to large degree.
However, this is about the time of year when
the ground and rivers Of eastern Europe
Freeze making possible resumption of mill
tary operations which have been impeded by
the autumn rains and mud
-V-