The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-20

The first report Of a possible Junction of the American and Rus rian forces came from Moscow. United Press Correspondent Henry Shapiro reported from the Soviet capital that Russian forces. alter breaking through the Spree river defense line, were thrusting on to- ward a junction with the United States Third Army forces advanc- Ing on Dresden.
 "In the Dresden sector, motorized Soviet patrols probably already have contacted the scouts of It. Gen. George S. Patton" Shapiro re pjored.
 In any event, the Moscow dis patch said, Giant Stalin and Sher- man tanks surging westward from the crllmbled spree line can easily exchange radio greetings with the Americans.
 Soviet field reports referred to Marshal Ivan s Konevs tlrst Ukrainian Army units closing m on Dresen." But by Nazi account the closest Soviet approach to the Saxony capital was at Bautzen' 25 miles northeast.
 U. s. Third Army forces were 3O- odd miles from Dresden at last re- port. and it was evident that any such patrol junction as Moscow sug- Kested would be important nanny for its symbolism of an east-West meeting and the collapse of the Ger man defenses in the Dresden region. Shapiro reported that after the Red Army's modest announcement of the expansion of bridgeheadss across the Oder before Berlin and beyond the Neisse to the southeast, masses of Army groups were swarm Ing over both rivers for "a great enveloping operation circumscr1oing the arc of the capital"
 Russian field dispatches said Ber- lin had been burning ceaselessly for the last few days, the towering col umns of smoke and leaping sheets of flame in plain sight of the Rus sian siege forces chopping through its maze of defenses.
 More details of the three army groups smashing westward between Stettin and Dresden are expected to be announced at any time" Sha- piro reported.
 Ernst Won Hammer, NaN military commentator, said the battle before Berlin had reached peak of fury with guns blazing necessarily anc bombers flashing the German posi- tions.
 'In the course of extremely fierce fighting, the Germans intercepted massive assault of Soviet tank! which was heading directly for Ber- lin along the Muenchceberg- -BukoW' Wriezen front" Won Hammer said He reported fanatic resistance on both sides of Frankfurt, indicat. ing that the Oder river Bastion 3; miles east of Berlin had been iso lated by the Soviet push westward Won Hammer said Russian tanl column broke through north O Goerlitz, on the Neisse 106 mile southeast of Berlin, and thrus toward BautZen. A Nazi militar, spokesman said yesterday the lin ran through Bautzen on the Spree Between captured Forst on tn Neisse and Spremberg to the south west, the Germans said, two Sovie tank armies advanced westward bu were checked by counter blows.
 The Nazis said the Russians ha' pushed at least eight miles beyon' the Spree to the edge of Hoyers werda, 70 miles below Berlin.
 Attacks Confirmed The Soviet high command las night belatedly confirmed that tn Russian Central Army groups" ha attacked across both the Oder an Neisse rivers on a 100-mile iron four days ago, but claimed for tn moment only that they were ex banding bridgeheads across bot streams.
 Two Polish armies under Colont General Michal Rola zymiersl were participating in the offensiv' the Soviets said, one on the Berli front and the other across tn Neisse.
 Though the Soviet communiqu referred cautiously to the strengt of the assault, Nazi broadcasts sai the battle before Berlin alone ha increased to a violence "unpara. leled even in this bloodiest of wars"
 "The inferno has started where in the greatest decision of the WE vii be brought about one broac cast said.
 The Germans frankly admitte that Russian troops spearheaded | two crack guard armies and horde of tanks were smashing steadil deeper into Berlin's concentric dt fenSe rings on 60-mile arc despit heavy losses on both sides.
 Nazi broadcasts said the Secon Guard Army plunged down frol Wriezen, g miles northeast of Bel lin, to the approaches to Strausber nine miles east of the capital, in tt deepest Soviet penetration of u German line.
 Other fierce battles were said be raging on the edge of Muencl
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