Evening star., 1945-02-14
Allied Bombers Pound Dresden
In Support Of Advancing Reds;
Another German Line Is Cracked
Yonks Follow Up
Night Raids on
Saxon Capital
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 14.-More than
2,250 American bombers and
fighters today struck Germany
In widespread attacks, delivering
a main blow at Dresden, which
already was burning from a
night assault by 300 heavy RAF
bombers.
Dresden is only 68 miles or less
from advancing Russian troops, and
is a nerve center of Nazi defenses
In Central Germany. The day and
night air blows were in direct and
co-ordinated support of Marshal
Ivan Konev's 1st Ukrainian Army.
The RAF bombed Dresden twice
in attacks three hours apart.
Other Targets Raided.
Part of the American force, con-
sisting of more than 1850 Flying
Fortresses and Liberators and 900
fighters, also bombed transportation
and industrial targets at Chemnitz,
IS miles southwest of Dresden, and
at Magdeburg, 10 miles west of
Berlin.
A fourth formation was assigned
to knock out an important Rhine
bridge at Wesel, 10 miles ahead of
the Canadian 1st Army on the
western front.
The Raj dumped perhaps 1900
tons nf hnt11hc nrocdn,, to1
of Saxony which controls railroads
to Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Bres-
lau, and is the site of great engi-
neering industries.
1t was suggested unoffcially in
London that Air Marshal Sir
Charles Portal, British air staff
chief who returned from Yalta yes
terday, brought instructions from
the Big Three to deliver this and
other blows in support of the Red
Armies whenever possible.
1,400 Aircraft in Raids.
Announcing the night operations,
the British Air Ministry declared:
"As the center of asrailway net
work and great industrial town it
(Dresden) has become of the great
est value for conducting any de-
fense the Germans may organize
against Marshal Konev's armies"
Altogether the RAF dispatched
1,40o aircraft to Germany during
the night. Other targets were
synthetic oil plant at Bohlen, south
of Leipzig, objectives at Magdeburg,
rs miles southwest of Berlin, and
the railroad towns of Nuremberg,
Bonn and Dortmund. All the night
operations were at cost of 16
bombers missing.
The British blow against Dres-
den. Germany's seventh city, was
the first major attack ever made
there. A striking feature was the
lack of antiaircraft fire.
When the first wave hit about 10
pm. clouds obscured the target.
When the second arrived three hours
later the sky was clear. The crews
said fires could be seen for 200
miles.
80 Miles From Berlin.
Dresden is 80 miles south of Ber-
lin, and is overfowing with refugees
fleeing ahead of the Russians Some
German government Offices also are
said to have been shifted there.
Together American and British
tactical forces on the continent yes
terday few more than 2,100 sorties
against battle area targets and Nazi
supply lines. The pilots reported
meeting the stiffest anti-aircraft
opposition to these battle line at
tacks since the German Ardennes
offensive was checked.
Their combined claims for the
day included 109 locomotives, BOT
railcars and 278 motor vehicles
wrecked and 4S rail cuts.
The United States 9th Air Force,
which lost II aircraft, claimed two
Nazis shot down and three more
i