The Wilmington morning star., 1945-04-23
Interpreting
The War
BY ELTON c. FAY
Associated r. ess War Analvs,

OAAA eiiSAA VIM WIN portfolio
of war plans the Nazi leader,
have plucked the last, telling IN.
Wehrmacht what to do in tbo,.
final days Of Germany's dissor.
ton.
1t is contained in a copy Of =,
order by Hitler which was csn' M
tured by the British Second Arnr
admitting that the weight Of A.
lied arms on the Western Fron.
made major military operation,
by the German Army no lonsas
possible.
Therefore, said Hitler. orlr
Guerrilla methods "shown .ri
taught to Us ny the Russians c.r
be woodworking attacks on strou.
centers, harassing flanks and rs.s
elements.
While the recently Captured N,
der refers to the situation in III,
west, it is evident that the Nj.
have put into operation such NAV,
for all dismembered parts Of tbs
Reich. Looking forward ia n.
time when a Russian-Wester A.
lies junction would be made tbs,
set up at least three major Conn.,
mands.
To that part of Germany nor,,
of the Allied corridor thew A.,
signed Field Marshal Won Buscb
Command of the southern sector
at least for the time, appear,
to be under Field Marshal Kessel.
ring.
The Nazis, forseeing the Hkei,
hood that Berlin would be an.
circled by the advancing Russian,
and cut off from either the north.
ern or southern areas of resist.
ance, gave their capital its own
commander, one Field Marsha
Schooner, only recently promot.
ed from the rank of Colonel Gen.
eral. The kindest thing to be said
of Schooner is that he is Of The
proper type for last ditch"
defense. A Nazi thug, he was
among those who organized The
political commissar system for
the party within the Wehrmacht
He is ruthless in his treatment 0,
!, deserters.
Schooner is reported to have
been assigned command Of the
army Group Center which was
deployed east of Berlin before the
Russians drove into the capitals
!, streets. A German press dispatch,
however, mentions a LIT. Gen.
Heymann'' as in command Of
J troops in Berlin. 1t is assumed that
. Schooner, because of his rank,
, would take general charge if he
fell back into the city.
Of the three commanders, it
would appear that Kesselring's job
would last longest. He has in his
area the so-called national re.
doubt of Southern Germany.
The approach of the Allied forces
from the west and east through
the corridor i the Leipzig -Dres.
den area and the push to Berlin
bring up some interesting possi.
bilities.
1t is assumed in most Allied
capitals that the details for the
junction of the two forces have
been worked out long ago, with
final polishing up at Yalta, Where
exchange Of strategical and, lat.
terly, of tactical plans between
the two forces have been carried
on through headquarters HUNDREDS
OF miles apart, arrangements pre-
sumably are ready for a direct
liaison of officers and exchange
OF information a the point d
contact in the corridor.
There is the probability that in
defining the zones of Occupation
some months ago there was agree
ment that these boundaries would
in a general way, mark the area
OF military operations.
In Washington at least, there is
no disposition to assume that be-
cause Russian forces entered Ber
lin first, American and British
troops will stop their advance west
OF the enemy capital. The plans
, for occupation Of Germany viii
call for general headquarters
IN Berlin itself, where the repre-
sentatives of the United States
Great Britain and France Gf she
becomes one of the occupying
f poWers) will be located. The u'
: Outstanding has been that Rus
sla's occupation zone, in brosd
. manner, will extend eastWan
from the Berlin area, while The
other Allies will divide the western
!. portion into their respective zones
l Secretary of War Stimson, Dis
cusslng the situation several day.
ago, observed that "whatever Ar
my enters Berlin first will have
!. due credit" and then added tna
we are all fighting as AllH
against the Nazis and every step
taken toward their complete a.
feat should be a matter for mutual