Evening star., 1945-05-01
Allies in Italy Drive
Toward Junction With
Tito S Men in Trieste
1y the Associated Press.

ROME, May New Zealand
troops, driving toward a juno
tion with Marshal Tito's Parti-
sans in Trieste, were reported
more than Is miles beyond the
Piave River today as Allied troops
continued their lightning clean
up in Northern Italy.
The only fighting reported Off
+ cially in Northern Italy yesterday
? was in the area north of Lake
Garda. where the Nazis were at
tempting to hold back an American
, drive toward the Brenner Pass,
gateway to Austria.
A headquarters spokesman. said
the enemy apparently was attempt
ing to "reassemble his disjointed
force at point on this route in
order to attempt the long and tortu-
Gus march up into the Alps"
Nazis Virtually Eliminated.
These reports underscored last
il1SAlo . ctdGCLlCllt Wy 1Cll Md1 n w .
Clark, commander of the 18th Army
Group, that the German armies in
Italy have been virtually elimi-
mated as a military force" by the
shattering Allied drives.
Units of the United States 10th
Mountain Division pressed their
drive northward in the direction of
Trento and the Brenner Pass after
the 86th Mountain Infantry Regi-
ment captured the towns of Riva,
Torbole and Nago at the northern
end Of Lake Garda.
At the same time the 9th Army's
9th Lancers struck north from
Mestre, passed through Treviso and
crossed the Piave River after seizing
bridge near Nervesa. They pushed
hard in the direction of Austria.
The 9th Army took about 10000
prisoners yesterday alone, but esti-
mates were difficult because the total
mounted so rapidly.
$4,000 Prisoners Captured.
Some 10000 prisoners, among them
four major generals, were in the
United States 1st Armored Divisions
bag In the "a hours up to last night.
Turin, industrial city of 629,115
population, last Italian metropolis
to be yielded by the Nazis, was
occupied yesterday by infantry of
the 442d Regiment, composed of
japanese soldiers of American
ancestry. They had found Partisan
troops in complete control of the
city
Gen. Clark said the bitter cam
paign which began at Salerno Sep
tember l, 1943, had ended except
for the mopping up of scattered
German resistance. He said the
military power of Germany in Italy
has practically ceased, even though
scattered fighting may continue"
Gen. Clark estimated that Is Ger
man divisions, some of the best in
the German Army, had been ripped
to shreds in Italy and no longer
could resist Allied armies effectively.
Mussolini's Villa Seized.
An amphibious task force, led by
col. William o. Darby, assistant
commander of the 10th Mountain
Division, reported finding important
documents in Mussolini's villa at
Garglhno, which was seized after
the Americans crossed Lake Garda.
Residents said Mussolini had left
the villa April 25.
On the east shore of the lake, at
Alcesine, the Americans seized a
German air force forward head
quarters on the estate of Ernest
Stadelman, an artist, whose works
were exhibited in the United States
before the war. Stadelman, who
was LuftWaffe captain, had fed.
Fighter -bombers concentrated yes
terday on scattered enemy transport
fleeing north from Udine to Austria
and claimed destruction or damage
of about 500 vehicles and tanks.