The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-02-15
Nine Thousand
Planes Make
Raids

1 An Unprecedented BrltlAn'AmeT-
lean aerial offensive against Ger.
many, blasting targets In the paths
OF both the western Allies and Rus.
sian armies. roared on today with
undiminished fury.
Five waves OF heavy bombers.
each with strong fighter escort.
were reported continuing scour'
cling OF the Reich greater than any
It previously had undergone.
In the IS hours to dawn today
mere than 5000 British and Amer.
lean planes loosed thousands OF
tons OF explading steel on German
cities, supply lines and troop con
centrations.
The Raj during the night sent
1900 planes against Germany. the
bulk OF them hitting the eastern
front rail center OF Chemnltz. -
miles southwest Of burning Dres'
den, another main target OF the
Russian drive. as the coordinated
strategy of the Big Three unfolded.
British heavy bombers also. hit ,
synthetic oil plant nj RositZ, south
OF Leipzig, and Mosquitoes blasted
rcfugee-packed Berlin,
Seek Bridaehesds
Marshal Ivan S. Koney's First
Ukraine Army, In n swift, 22-mlle
advance. reached the heavily for
titled NeIsse River and were fight
ing for bridgcheads. a Moscow dis
patch said. only 80 miles from
Dresden, which Was hit yesterday
by so fortresses and the night be-
fore by 500 RAF heayies.
Under the greatest air support
OF the current offensive, the Ca
madam First Army reached the
Rhine directly opposite industrial
Emmerich, after storming across
desolate floodlands east OF Mi
megen and into Hurdendeich. five
, miles northeast OF captured kleve.
At the same time other British and
Canadians fought across mudflats
around the lower frinKes OF tho
Reichswald toward Goch and Cal.
car after crushing series OF VIC.
lent Nail counterattacks.
Near Saxony
Marshal Konev's cavalry neared
the frontiers OF SaXony in sight Of
the towering beacons OF smoke
from Allied raids. 4 British re.
port quoted Soviet observer as
saying the Allies we're working to-
! gether with precision and accord
ing to a definite plan.
konev's advance units. pushing
west and northwest, struck along
roads leading through forests east
OF GoerlitZ. Dresden and Cottbus,
~ miles southwest OF Frankfurt
His northern flank was about To
merge with Marshal Gregory X.
Zhukoy's troops west Of the Oder.
The imminence of such a iuncture
brought frantic German resistance
/ III AHt VII A'hNb'i > on wi
A force on konev's northern
| flank threatened To outflank Gruen-
berg. The Germans appeared un-
able to stem the drive
Completes Conquest
Zhukoy's First White Russian
Army has completed conquest OF
the holdout fortress OF Schneide-
muehl, 10 miles beyond Soviet lines
in German Pomerania, killing l.
600 Germans and capturing 5000
after two weeks OF siege. Front
dispatches said a great battle ragged
due east OF Berlin.
Berlin said the northern prong OF
Koney's drive reached Sommerfeld.
II miles southeast OF Berlin
In Italy the Germans pressed
] back American outposts in the
coastal sector. but positions were
rcganed later Gen. George {.
Marshall, L. S. chief of staff. in
a surprise visit, told the Fifth
Army 1t had immobilized large
German forces which the Nazis
sorely needed on the other war
fronts.