Show I Behind the War News Captain Craige I By Captain John H. H Craigo Craige With the British American B beachhead in France Franc extended to more than miles in length and the great French h port of Cherbourg cut off oft f from om reinforcement reinforcement rein rein- and supplies the third week of the decisive allied invasion invasion inva lava sion aba of Fortress Europe opened with successes gained and with prospects that lend promising color to united nations hopes that the war with Germany can be finished this year During the week pas past the territory territory territory ter ter- ter- ter occupied by American and British forces has been extended d steadily If slowly until most of the landing beaches are beyond the range range- of German artillery fire lire A number of minor critical al situations have been met and conquered Constantly Increasing increasing increasing ing allied forces have been landed and supplied despite weather that has has' not been too toof f favorable v rable on the thc whole Best of all the fighting American American Ameri Amen can Ninth division in in a thrust toward the narrow waist of th the Cherbourg peninsula found s. s soft spot in the German line and penetrated from sea to sea isolating iso lating Cherbourg's strategic port and and preparing the way for re reduction reduction reduction re- re of that base preparatory to a a. further large scale campaign campaign cam earn paig directed at the defeat and destruction of the nazi armies in France It seems apparent that the in inv invasion invasion in- in v sion is already considerably ahead of its schedule and is proceeding with increasing mo mo- Although two weeks have passed the great German counter offensive of Nazi Marshal Marshal Marshal Mar Mar- Erwin Envin Rommel's mam army has not come This desperate drive to hurl our cur forces from their newly won footholds on the seacoast was anticipated in from five live to 10 days after the first landings Perhaps the great allied bombIng bombing bombing bomb bomb- ing campaign has rendered it impossible for R Rommel mmel to concentrate concentrate concentrate con con- the striking forces necessary Perhaps the fear of a second British American landing has rendered the German high command unwilling to commit its reserves Whatever the cause of the failure of the expected all out German counter blow to materialize materialize mate mate- allied commanders ha have ve made use of the time afforded to extend dig in and fortify their positions It seems almost certain now that these are strong enough to withstand any attack With this dangerous first phase of amphibious operations safely surmounted the war now seems destined to assume the themore themore themore more familiar form of orthodox continental conflict Obvious first allied move will be the capture capture cap cap- ture tune of Cherbourg Until they possess a large port it Is impossible impossible sible aible for tor them to land heavy implements implements implements im im- im- im of war or maintain a flow of supplies independent of the weather Allied engineers are arc miracles but they cannot cannot cannot can can- not create a harbor sheltered from the storms that sweep the French coast Only when a port such as Cherbourg is captured can great fleets of big ships Unload unload unload un un- load in safety Nazi propaganda dispatches render it obvious that the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans intend to try to hold Cherbourg Cherbourg Cherbourg Cher Cher- bourg to the last They are comparing the prospective re resistance resistance resistance re- re of its garrison to that I of the red army force that held Sevastopol for months Cherbourg Cherbourg Cherbourg Cher Cher- bourg is a powerful position strongly fortified Its will furnish a test of the power of the giant British American-British machine in a new department of war The speed with which Cherbourg Cherbourg Cherbourg Cher Cher- bourg can be taken and repaired for tor the u use Us-c of British American armies will unquestionably exercise exercise exercise ex ex- ex- ex a decisive influence not only on the allied campaign in France but on German morale on On the home front as well Already there is deep consternation consternation conster coaster nation at the speed with which Hitler's vaunted wall of seacoast seacoast seacoast sea- sea coast defenses has been broken If the allies proceed to take Cherbourg in their stride and advance inland at the rate Indicated indicated indi Indi- by the present speed of ot their operations even the most fana fanatical nazi can hardly fail faU to tosea see sea the handwriting on the wall Probably the next 30 days of fighting in France will decide whether or not the war with Germany Is to end this year Statements and opinions herein here here- ere in arc are private to the writer and andare andare andare are not to be construed as re rejecting re- re the views of the navy department t. t |