Evening star., 1945-02-03
Reds Halted on Oder> Nazis Say;
Record Air Raid Made on Berlin
1000 Forts BIust
Capital While 400
Strike Mogdeburg
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, Feb. 3.-More than
l ZOO American Flying Fortresses
dropped nearly 5000 tons OF
bombs on the heart of Berlin
today in the greatest air blow
ever dealt that capital, now
teeming with refugees.
The record attack was aimed di.
rectly at military and communica-
tions targets in the center of the
city menaced by Soviet armies which
the Germans say are only 40 miles
away.
More than 400 Liberators, staging
diversfsnary attack that confused
Berlin's defenders, pounded a syn
thetic oil plant and railyards on the
outskirts of Magdeburg, 65 miles
southeast Of Berlin.
The United States 9th Air Force
bombers shielded by more than 90C
Mustangs and Thunderbolts which
streamed from Magdeburg to Berlin
in a swift, protective shuttle. cut
ting down fighter opposition to the
bombers.
Attack Lasts As Minutes.
Today's attack lasted about As
minutes, and the greatest weight of
explosives and incendiaries ever un-
loaded on Berlin fell at the rate of
66 tons minute.
An 9Th Air Force staff officer said
targets included important military
and governmental Office buildings,
the Anhalter and Potsdamer rail-
way stations and Templefof rail
yards.
THE attack was aimed at disrupt
ing communications through the
capital and disorganizing control of
military forces within the Reich at
this crucial time" he said. "Ber-
lin is the hub through which flow
vital communication lines between
the eastern and western fronts"
First reports indicated generally
good results, although bombardiers
sighted through broken clouds. The
RAF in its heaviest attack on Ber-
lin, last February Is, dropped $500
tons of bombs.
Sky Train 800 Miles Long.
Berlin broadcasts declared the
bombers and fighters formed sky
train stretching 300 miles from Ber-
lin to the Dutch frontier.
Today's assault was more spec
tacular than the 1000 bomber raid
by the 9th Air Force last June 81
which set the previous record, and
more devastating to the core of the
city. The strength of the June 81
formations was dispersed over wide
area Of Berlin's outlying industrial
zone, but today's blows were con-
centrated on the very center.
It was the 2o4tfl raid of the wal
on Berlin and brought the total OF
bombs dropped there to nearly 50,-
600 tons-seven times the amount
the Germans dumped on London
during the aerial battle of Britain
The RAF has made % major heavy
bomber attacks, Raj Mosquitoes have
hit the capital with 2-ton block
busters in 165 night attacks and
American raids account for the rest
Today's blows apparently caused
widespread confusion in the Ger
man capital, and the regular Ger
man high command communique
was delayed more than an hour
Nazi propaganda agencies seemed
demoralized.
On Timetable Schedule.
From midmorning until noon the
Berlin Achtung service flashed warn
ings to the Germans every few min
utes that groups of Allied aircraft
were heading for the area of the
capital.
The alarms started when the first
formations of Fortresses and Lib
orators sped over Northern Holland
into Germany, and were maintained
on timetable schedule until the
aerial storm struck in full force.
All radio services of the German
news agency DNB apparently were