The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-23
Central BaStiOn Of Hitler
Line Evacuated by Germans
BritOn Asserts
Nazis Being
Thrashed

The Germans announced today
the evacuation OF Pico. central bas-
ton OF The Hitler lire 81 miles
southeast OF Rome and asserted
that The Allies in the Anzio beach
head had struck nightly win
rants planes and infantry behind
the main battlefront.
The Germans are receiving one
OF the greatest thrashinKs IN their
history rom the forces under Gen.
Sir Harold Alexander" the British
minister Of Information Brendan
Brachcn. said lie declared the
hghtng IN Italy is beyond all des-
crIption
Ale1andels oommun.que listed
small gains around the west coast
Of italy including the American
seizure OF commanding heights
around coastal TeTraCina al tine
edge Of The pontine Ma shes The
last available German reserves
below Rome were reported Officially
to have been committed 80 the
great battle Of attrlt on
IT, Gen Mark ". Clark Flftn
Army commander. established an
advanced command post on the
Anzio bcachhead after inspecting
American troops there yesterday.
The German. command said the
Allies in the Anzio beaChhead be
low Rome had attacked with strong
"a ~
AM west OF Aprilla and IN tho
Cisterna. Littoria section, apparent
il In an EFFORT To trap the enemy
from the rear. \ strong artillery
aud bomb barrage preceded tlIa
drive. 2Omiles above the main
battle-ground. Fighting il In full
sWing" ON tho beachhead, the com
mnique said
Delayed by Bombs
More than 1000 British bombers
deluEod Industrial Dortmund and
Brunswick and other continental
targets with around 1880 tons OF
explosives last night Up TO l,tho
4. s. planes smashed French vail
roads and western Herman targets
today
Invasion tension frightened IN
Britain where the Germans "a
/ 100000 troops we're poised. sif
German Reconnaissance planes
were downcd Trains we're can
cellcd: soldiers bid their SWEEP.
hearts farewell Berlin asserted
that France IS like steel hedge
n now
The 3e.day luli on the Russian
front appeared near an end with
both sides massing troops and
arr or in the south The enemy
said Russian motors and tanks and
men were massing on the lower
Dnesu and middle Siret Rivers by
"day and night" Bulgaria. caught
between Russian and German de-
mands. tried 10 form new govern.
ment Moscow said a Bulgar milf
tary mission was in Germany.
Slug out Gains
American troops slugged out new
gains in westcentral Italy, captur-
ing several hill features overlook
ing embattled Terracina at ths'
edge Of the Pontine marshes ~
odd miles from the Apzio beach
head Inland. the Nanks took Mon
sicardi north of Fondi and Cole
ina Delmonte Piedimonte, north
ern anchor OF German defenses,
was invested from three sides and
a scene OF street bshting.
'merican and French forces in
the San Leucio- Pico sector center
ing the 25.mlc front dropped bacA
slightly to protect their TANKS.
The Germans compared the attrl-
ton struggle in Italy to the great
battles OF the Somme. Nerdun ana
Flanders during the last war.
Brack ems statement suggested thal
Gen Alexander might be within
grasp Of his avowed objective OF
destroying the German armies IN
Italy.
Allied planes flew ESQ sorties
over the italian backgrounds
tangling communications just be-
hind the front and ports.
In sweeps OF 600 L. :. and
British planes in daylight yestef-
day over Kiel and other targets, Il
Naz.s we're destroyed and five
bombers and eight lighters we're
lost The Mediterranean air forces
lost five and shot down one. The
Russians do8ned %.
Rains Come
Monsoon rains forced SOW
down in the Allied drive TO seize
the key. Burma city OF Myltkylns
today and another big operation
in the Pacific Var-the presumed
attack on Japanese.held Marcus
Island lay hidden in radio silence
It. Gen. Joseph W Stilwells
Chinese aud Americans fought on
through tie heavy rains 70 wipe
out the enemy still holding third
OF Myitkyina in northern Burns.
4 glimpse Of the difficulties inyoly-
cd was gwen in a Stilwell head
quarters announcement
THE slow WORK Of eliminating
sa,agely resisting pockets OF Japs-
nese. who evidently are prepared