Evening star., 1945-04-27
Junction Is Effected at Torgau;
Patton Troops Move Into Austria
Last Faint Hope ot
Hitler Declared
Extinguished
BY J. A. FOX.

President Truman announced
at noon today that the Anglo
American and Soviet forces
have united Gin the heart of
Nazi Germany" and that "the
enemy has been cut in two"
The President also hailed this
feat of arms as a demonstration Of
a unity which can be likewise ef-
fective in maintaining peace. He
declared that it also was tribute
ito the courage and determination
of Franklin Roosevelt"
A simultaneous announcement of
the joining of forces was made in
London and Moscow and as the
Presidents statement was issued
here Jonathan Daniels, press secre-
tary, said the junction had been
effected at Torgau, town on the
Elbe River rs miles south of Berlin.
Patrols met at 4:40 pm. Wednesday
and big units joined up at 2 o'clock
yesterday afternoon.
For practical purposes, Mr..
Daniels said the junction was con-
sidered as made yesterday.
He said the contact with the Rus
slams was made by the Goth Infantry
Division of Gen. Courtney H. Hodges
1st Army. The division is COM
manded by Maj. Gen. Emil F. Rein
hardt of Detroit.
Hour Of Final Victory Near.
In his statement President Tru-
man warned that this is not the
hour of final victory in Europe but
the hour draws near" The Presi-
dents statement said:
"The Anglo-American forces un-
der the command Of Gen. Eisen-
hover have met the Soviet forces
where they intended to meet-in the
heart of Germany. The enemy has
been cut in two.
This is not the hour of final VIC
tory in Europe but the hour draws
near The hour for which all the
American people. all the British
peoples and all the Soviet people
have toiled and prayed so long.
1.-The union of our arms In the
heart of Germany has meaning
for the world which the world will
not miss. It means, first, that the
last faint desperate hope of Hitler
and his gangster government has
been extinguished. The common
front and the common cause OF the
powers allied in this war against
tyranny and inhumanity have been
demonstrated in fact as they have
been long demonstrated in determi-
nation. Nothing can divide or
weaken the common purpose Of our
veteran armies to pursue their VIC
torious purpose to its final Allied
triumph in Germany.
Effective Collaboration.
Second, the junction Of our forces
at this moment signalizes to our
selves and to the world that, the
collaboration of our nations in the
cause of peace and freedom is an
effective collaboration which can
surmount the greatest difficulties OF
the most extensive campaign in mil
itary history and succeed. Nations
which can plan and fight together
shoulder to shoulder in the face OF
such obstacles of distance and Of
language and of communications as
we have overcome, can live together
and can work together in the COM
mon labor of the organization OF
the world for peace.
FINALLY, this great triumph OF
Allied arms and Allied strategy is
such a tribute to the courage and
determination to Franklin Roosevelt
as no words could ever speak, and
that could be accomplished only by
the courage and fighting persistence
of the fighting soldiers and sailors
of the Allied nations.
But, until our enemies are finally
subdued in Europe and in the Pa
cific, there must be no relaxation on
the home front in support Of our
heroic soldiers and sailors, as we all
know there will be no pause on the
battle fronts"