Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1945-01-04
BEHIND
THE NEWS
By Paul
MaIIon


Belgian bulge. They have been
trying to organize a counter
attack.
Heaviest concentrations of
their troops the past few days
have been observed on the
northern side of the salient.
They had two full armies in
their spearhead and a third on
the two shoulders at the en-
trance TO 1t.
If they cannot muster
strength 10 try another break
through, they probably will re-
tire into Germany, announcing
they upset our offensive plans
and have thus won a victory.
AT only one point have they
indicated any intension so far
of trying permanently to hold
the ground they gained.
South of Bastogne they
started digging trenches. on
the quiet Dutch front far 10
the north they have exploded
few violent local attacks, which
hint they may try the Russian
trick of starting something new
on a different front 10 cover
their defeat on this one.
FUTURE operations on their
4 side and onrs. however, will
depend on what the terrific
losses of this great struggle will
permit. Both sides put in just
about everything they had
from every other section of
the line.
The situation demands
counterattack by us. say on the
Aachen front to move on TO
Berlin, but we may not have
the power left there.
Our game certainly will be to
destroy every possible German
and every possible weapon in
that salient now, and the size OF
our victory will be measured by
the extent of the damage we do
from now on. In fact, the dura-
tion of the war depends on this
factor.
So far it has been one of the
most heroic stands of all Ameri-
can arms in history. The tide
turned on Christmas Day. Then
the Germans reached the far
thest point of advance, to Celles,
within four miles of the Mouse
in the north and to st. Hubert
on their less advanced way to
Sedan.
THEN their tanks started run
Il ming short of gas and their
air coverage diminished. Two
days earlier the covering rain
had cleared and our great air
armadas of $500 and 5000
planes got in great work of de-
struction. Indeed. five of the
eight days thereafter were clear.
What greatly helped Tor
cauSed) this shortage of Ger
man gas was the valiant stand
of our 101st Airborne Division
at BaStogne, a point covering
six highways and railway. The
division was not parachuted in,
but was marched TO the breach
and fought as infantry.
Glorious also was the stand of
our Seventh Armored Division
at st. With, which held like a
rock as the German divisions
streamed past.
The names of these divisions
will live forever. Their stand
was vital because they hindered
the advancing of gasoline to the
German tanks at the westward
moving front.
THE Germans no doubt in
Il tended TO strike at Liege,
which is the focal point of our
supplies behind the Aachen
front. They may have told
their soldiers they were going TO
Paris, but their primary objec-
tive was TO cause our with
drawal from the Aachen front
by capturing its supply line.
They were forced southwark
Of their objective by the mag
nificent defense of our original
line on the northern shoulder OF
the bulge, near Monscheu. This
was the work of our First In
fantry Division, which had the
hard battles of Tunisia, Sicily
and Normandy under its belt.
CEN. PATTON did all that
~ has been said and more. On
the third day after the German
break-through he was called in
and ordered to make the attack
from the south. Before that
night fell he had some troops
on the road northward from his
front.
His Eightieth Division per-
formed a feat as remarkable as
any of Stonewall Jackson's foot
cavalry. 1t was ready TO go
into the fighting line south of
Saarbrucken when orders came
TO 60 northward and il went
80 miles swiftly TO get into
action.
Patton got his orders the
nineteenth; by the 26th his
drive had relieved Bastogne,
broken the German pressure
and saved Luxembourg. His CT
tations no doubt will say he
moved promptly" which word
reflects only half the brilliant
swiftness of his inspired men.
Meanwhile the First Army
hit of the extreme tip OF the
German drive AT CplleS ctt off