The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-03-29

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expected to force to Prut zen masse
at multitude of points and on a
scale defying all enemy attempts
to deal with them"
The news which the world was
awaiting-a11 official announcement
Of a Prut crossing-still was not
Forthcoming, but keenly anticipatory
Moscovites were keeping their ears
glued to the radio for the official
flash.
The rapidity with which Russian
columns were swinging southwark
through Bessarabia toward the
Black Sea showed that the Soviet
command had another great objec-
tive in addition to an invasion Of
Rumania.
That was the closing of a steel
gate behind the German troops still
in the southern Ukraine. If the
Black Sea can be reached before the
Nazis get out, the Russians will ach-
ieve bag OF prisoners and war ma
terials comparing with Stalingrad.
Dispatches said the Russians still
we're carrying out surprise tactics,
slashing deep into the enemy rear,
ripping communications, and fore
ing the Germans to abandon the
main highways for retreat along
dirt roads and footpaths.
Accounts of the Red Army vic.
tory yesterday at Nikolaev, big
black sea port, said the German
Sixth Army commander had Or
dered 1t held at all cost. calling it
the gateway to Odessa"
The Germans put up stubborn
resistance behind a powerful de-
Tense perimeter. The Russians fl
nally overwhelmed them by joint
frontal attack and an amphibious
Marine landing in the rear.
LIST and 2nd Armies
In BeSsarabia and Bucovina, the
LIST and End Armies extended their
control Of the east bank of the
Prut river to at least $50 miles and
swept German defenses on the west
bank with steadily-increasing
weight OF shells in preparation for
a drive across the river to open the
battle Of Rumania.
Front dispatches said the two
armies we're expected to force the
Prut zen maSse at multitude Of
points and on scale defying all the
enemy's attempts to deal with
them" The Soviets already were ar
rayeh along the Prut opposite the
strategic railway functions OF Ger
nauti and Iasi, each an invasion
gateway to central Rumania, and
probably were bombarding both cit
les.
CA German radio commentator
said the Russians already had
crossed the Prut in a so-far unsuc-
ceSSful attempt to seize LASH
"a Scandinavian Telegraph Bu-
reau dispatch from Berlin reported
that the Red Army had completely
cut off the former Polish town of
Kowel, ITS miles southeast of War;
saw, forcing the Germans to sup
ply the hard-pressed garrison by
air.)
The fall of the Black Sea strong
hold of Nikolaev yesterday paved
the way for what was expected to
be a speedy Soviet advance toward
Odessa, IS miles to the southwest,
and the complete liberation of the
Ukraine.
Rear Guard Actions
Though the Germans were fight
ing bitter rear-guard actions all
around the Soviet arc above Odessa
In marked contrast to their disor-
derby retreat through Bessarabia
and Bucovina, no natural defenses
guard Odessa and its approaches
were entirely at the mercy OF the
fast Soviet mechanical and motor
lied columns.
Supply and escape lines for the
estimated 10000 or more German
troops in the Odessa pocket were
deteriorating almost hourly with
the Soviet advance through Bessa-
rabia, and the NaI retreat may be-
come a rout when the RUSSIANS APP
proach the Iasi-Tiraspol-O Odessa
Railway, the only practical land es-
cape route left in German hands.
Loss Of the Tiraspol line probably
would bring a German "Dunkirk"