Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-09-02
BEHIND
THE NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon

IA HDIlAANNA ~ . =
W There is no strategy in this
final disintegrstion of the war
in Europe, except that which is
evident.
The Germans have lost the
war. know il, are running, stop
ping TO fight wherever they can
cluster a show Of resistance TO
delay our advance.
They could not defend Paris
because that would require
maintenance Of the Seine River
line across France and they had
insufficient men.
Their generals have tried 10
improviSe line further north
on the Somme- Aisne, but they
have insufficient power 10 main
tain that for long either. Not
much more than delaying sc-
ton is likely there
Their military eyes are really
cast back To the Maglnot-Sieg-
fried lines now. These are still
strong positions at the central
German border, but they will be
worthless 10 the Nazls unless
the Belgian forts can he prop
erly manned TO maintain the
flank in the lowiands The last
battle of the war for us might
develop there.
zen. EISENHOWER'S plan
~ originally intended that the
southern invasion force should
meet the Normandy force
around Dijon-Belfort and seal
off the bulk Of southwest
France.
But when he found how hol-
low and weak the NaziS were
behind their front lines, his fast
moving mechanical valry
under Gen. Patton was sent
northward before reaching Bel
fort, in an effort TO cut the
Nazi retreat TO the Belgian
forts. while the infantry pushed
straight ahead up the channel
coast toward the same forts.
Speed is the driving necessity
for success of his purpose, never
10 allow the enemy 10 rest, re-
group or dig in, but to keep
pushing, fighting
We are a little ahead of the
Russians in this race TO Berlin.
The Reds had to let up for
the last three weeks. directing
their attention toward knock
ing Romania and Bulgaria out
of the war and threatening to
enter Germany by the back door
(they will get Bucharest and the
Iron Gate and Carpathian Noun
tain passes leading to Germany
via Hungary, Czechoslovakla)
But they will revert again
now to the Polish front and
drive straight for the German
capital.
TRUTH is, they ran into more
Il Nazi resistance than they
expected. not only at Warsaw.
but on the East PruSSian border
and in the Baltic. The NaZis
have strong forces still on those
fronts.
Hitler cannot hope TO Surren-
der to us on the Western Front
without quitting also 10 Russia.
The terms are not only unCon-
ditional surrender but indivisi-
bile, and the agreement on this
cannot or will not be broken.
To guess when this will come
is foolish, but personal eSti-
mates of military authorities
now run through October and
November.
OF all of Hitler'S crimes
against civilization, his final
tactics in this war are the most
fiendiSh. Not even his savage,
inhuman atrocities on minoritles
cost as many lives as his refusal
10 surrender cause lost
months ago, and the mainte-
anCe of the slaughter of his own
people and others needlessly,
even 10 the continuance OF
robot campaign against England
which could only be justified by
a madman.
II he could be put into ro-
bot himself as a projectile and
shot 10 his death. not even then
would Justice be done for his
crime. not even If he had 100
lives
lis tactics are being inter-
H preted by some as an indi-
cation he IS already fighting the
next war, that both he and his
forces are making their way
underground to hide, plllage and
sabotage indefinitely.
The Fascist militia is being
organized for that purpose,
even has the name militia" 10
give il the fighting standard of
the MaqulS
Such continuance Of resist
ance has been threatened at the
close of every war, has never
been successful and will not be.
Shippers soon lost their zest in
e., gu,a .f ,,a..kfna rrttn. and