Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-19
BEHIND
THE News
BY Paul
Mallon

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1s-Ihe
w military experts are writing
of four German- armies IN
France, but they are paying an
undeserved compliment to three
The biggest and best, II not
the only real enemy army on
the western front, is north OF
the Seine and Somme rivers,
guarding the lowlandS gateways
into Germany and determined 10
cling to the robot launching
platforms upon which Hitler
has built a false and desperate
last breath faith among MS
people at home, causing them TO
expect this wanton destruction
will weaken the Allies Will 10
battle. whereas it only speeds
and strengthens u.s..
As FOR the other armies,
n none actually deserves the
name. The Nazi Seventh Army
has been considerably used up
fighting it's way out OF the
Falaise entrapment. We may
never feel disappointed that we
did not completely crush ana
capture IT.
But the Germans have been
similarly trapped, possibly III or
- times in this war, as deeply
as at Falaise. Only once, AT
Stalinrrad. did they fan 10
escape with the bulk of their
forces from the vigilant ana
swift Russians.
They got considerable por-
lions of their forces out tins
time. by bitterly holding their
strong center on the Caen front
so long. In three weeks there,
the British and Canadians were
not able to advance more than a
few miles. Our delay there gave
time TO the Germans to prepare
in the rear against the brilliant
flank circuiting of our armored
divisions.
THE Nazis put the bulk OF
i their remaining force be-
tween Falaise and Argentan' on
both sides of the mouth of the
bag. We could not get enough
power far around to Argentan
10 close it from the south, and
the Nazi positions on the north
side of the bag were full battle
nne defenses which coold not be
penetrated readily.
The Germans slipped their
men out of the bag at night,
moving them across fields. using
the roads for light vehicles,
leaving behind on the outer line
-ef-the- hagrfaiirlY- strong rear
guard pockets with good artil-
lery centers, expecting these to
be gobbled up as our line was
able to advance.
ON THE southern side OF the
" bag. there was not a strong
battle line the first three days,
but only a thin front presented
bv our armored force. Thus the
Nazis escaped a complete kill,
but their army was so weakened
us future vflghting power IS
questionable. CAS- A matter OF
complete truth, this Nazi Sew
enth Army was technically two.
being made up of the major ele-
ments of the two armiesO
Nothing like an army and not
much of a fighting force re-
mains in southwest France. The
grouping of a few divisions there
has been drained for reinforce
mentS the past III days.
The fourth and so-called
southern army, facing our new
invasion of the Riviera aimed up
the Rhone Valley tread again
the column published April ID,
which described as IAN ideal
plan" for grand invasions the
two routes we are pushing up
the Seine and the Rhone to
Paris contains more than 8 TO
10 divisions scattered along the
river.
THE Germans have some
L troops at Vichy, and others
in central France before Paris.
This distribution of their
forces does not suggest they in
tend 10 retire to the Maginot
Line or the Siegfried, but rather
plan TO hold the north bank of
the Seine-Marne or Selne-Oise-
Aisne and perhaps later the
Somme-Oise-AiSne, their major
remaining army being within
those river lines.
The MaCinot would not be OF
much use 10 them as IFS rear is
presented TO us. and the Sieg-
fried is within Germany, too
close 10 home for them.
Excellent defensive positions
are available TO the Nazls
throughout eastern France IN
the hills and mountains, there
being only few gateways into
Germany. the southern one
around Belfort near the Swiss
border. the Lorraine gate in the
center and in the north the Ar
denne. through which the Ger
mans moved west to conquer
France.
If THE NaziS run back to