Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-08
War Review
Climatic Events Seen
Near in Europe
By Ho.Oard p. Bale,

Another stiff week of resiStanc
by the Nazis all along the western
front held Allied gains to relativel
little change in geographical posi-
ton last week, though two advance
may mark the beginning of rea
eak-through which will hastel
the end of the war in Germany. On
OF these, north of Aachen, witnesse,
the sudden collapse of the Nazi de
lenses and tanks and infantr
poured through the gap miles in
side Germany.
Not too much was accomplished Ii
Italy, either, but in various phase
OF the war in the Balkans reall,
important gains were recorded.
A real drive for Greece is unde
way, launched Monday when thre
islands of the southern tip O
Greece were abandoned by the Nazi
in the face Il British Command,
raids. At the same time there wer,
reports from the Paris radio tina
Allied troops had landed in North
west Greece near the Albanian
frontier. The following day tn,
Morocco radio reported British
landings on the northern shore O
Crete, which had been cut off from
the mainland by the seizure of tn,
intervening islands the day before.
Wednesday landings on the ives
coast of Greece were made by
British troops with heavy air ane
sea support. Convenient airfield!
were quickly seized and served a.
bases for Spitfires which were ha-
RAISING the enemy. Parachutists
were credited with capture of the
airfields.
BY Friday the entrance to the
Gulf of Corinth had been sealed
off by the capture of the fortified
port OF Rion and fully half of the
Peloponnesus was in British hands
Liberation OF the Yugoslaviar
capital, Belgrade, seems matter OF
hours, perhaps, with the Nazis re-
ported leaving the city in the face
of heavy pressure both from the
Russians and the Patriots. Pancevo
miles northeast of Belgrade, was
in Russian hands Thursday and
there were reports that the suburbs
of the capital had been entered.
Lashing out from Romania, other
Red forces had driven well into
Hungary as the week ended,
moving forward in a fan-shaped
wedge rs miles across at its widest
point and approaching within Is
miles of Szeged, Hungary's second
city and only 100 miles from
Budapest.
On the Italian front, mud DELAYED
the Allies in their efforts to move
forward into the Pc Valley and
fierce German counterattacks added
to the obstacles. Some slight ad-
vances occurred, particularly in the
drive for Bologna, but generally
speaking there was little change in
position. Y
On the western front an impor-
tant break-through occurred when
American LIST Army forces pushed
through Hurtgen Forest south of
the fortress city of Aachen to a
point only % miles from Cologne.
This victory was a sequel to an
earlier eak-through north of
Aachen. Preceded by heavy artillery
fire and bombing by 1000 planes,
the Americans pushed past the Sieg-
fried defenses on Monday. The
Nazis hastily summoned reserves to
bolster their weakened position and
after some preliminary gains the
American advance was halted. How
ever, 1t. Gen. Hodges was quick to
take advantage of the drain on Ger
man reserves and Friday struck for
ward toward Hurtgen. Again the
Nazi reserves were shifted to meet
the new threat, demonstrating anew
the serious problem now facing Hit
Ter in keeping his lines fully
manned and backed with reserves.
In fact, If the skies remain clear
for another 48 hours there is some
speculation of a real knockout blow
in the Aachen area.
During the first part of the week
the other Allied armies were mostly
concerned with smashing German
counterattacks, but a new note of
confidence was evident. In fact, Gen.
Eisenhower's headquarters warned
the Austrians to prepare for the ar
rival of the Allies.
Tuesday, Patton's Sd Army en-
tered the outer defenses of Fort
Driant and as the week progressed
the Americans moved in deeper and
deeper, hunting the enemy down in
corridors and underground lab
yrinths. The previous week the fort
had been entered, but the Americans
were forced to withdraw. This time
they appear in for keeps, thus re-
moving one of the principal barriers
TO Metz, bastian of the German
line on the eastern end of the front.
On the western end of the line
the British penetrated Anthem in
Holland as the week closed. Cana
dams driving across the Leopold
Canal made some progress toward
cutting off the Nazis holding coastal
and harbor island positions which
nave prevented the Allies from US
ing Antwerp. In the east, Patch's
American 7th Army has moved
mile or two forward in the Belfort
Gap area.
Arrival of Gen. Marshall in
France to confer with Gen. Eisen-
hover may forecast climactic events
Heavy Air Attacks.
Dunkerque, from which the IA
nous retreat of the British occurred
after the collapse in France, appears
about to fall into British hands.
this time the British striking from
the landward side as the Nazis did
before.
All week long, aided by excellent
flying weather, the Allies pounded
German industry and transporta-
ton from the air. Nurnburg. Mum
ster, Cologne. Rheine, Handorf.
Berlin Saarbruecken and Bruns-
wick were included among the tar
gets. AS many as 5000 planes
were in the air over Germany at
one time and during one raid $50 900
incendiaries were dropped.
On the Russian front there was
not much to report, though there