Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS Us S north african occupation seen As springboard for european front hillers seizure of southern france thins axis forces for russ campaign EDITORS NOTE when opinions are espre med in these columns they are those of western newspaper unions news analysts and not necessarily at this newspaper released by western newspaper union TOULON MILES I 1 SPAIN ij TE TURKEY GIBRALTAR RABA p eams FA 6 mediterranean I 1 I 1 hafl W FORTS OF ALGERIA 4 IN U 5 HANDS X RIA IR iu S CONTROLS ENTIRE J COAST OF ap A 0 al ARA EGYPT J I 1 territory in north africa occupied by U S expeditionary forces under gen dwight D eisenhower will be used as a springboard for offensive action against italy the adriatic balkans and possibly southern france military experts believe principal features on above map show 1 american control over atlantic ports in french morocco 2 mediterranean ports of oran and algiers in american hands 3 strategic bizette in tunisia which would complete allied control of the south mediterranean and 4 vichy held dakar which military experts expect to be taken over by allies BLITZ TIMETABLE beats schedule two immediate jobs had remained for gen dwight D iron mike Eisen howers american invasion forces after they had completed their spectacular blitzkrieg of french morocco and algeria in the record time of 77 hours one J job ob was to secure control of rectangular tunisia a french protectorate ate jutting northward into the mediterranean and offering via strategic bizette an ideal stepping stone toward the axis soft spots of italy and the adriatic balkans the other job was to complete with their british allies the nutcracker drive into libya to smash forever marshal brommels Rom mels all but extinguished afrika korps the capture of morocco and algeria had given the americans control of 1300 miles of precious north african seacoast on the atlantic ocean and the mediterranean sea including the key ports of casablanca rabat oran and algiers significantly enough it was adm jean darlan french chief of all defense forces who had given the cease firing order to the french north african colonies darlan was now in a new role of collaborationist with the united nations after secret negotiations with american army officers the welcome of the american forces by the french af rican inhabitants had been warmed by the presence with them of heroic gen henri giraud dramatically flown to algeria from france after a secret rendezvous with british airmen neighboring tunisia was of key importance not only because of its strategic value for future offensives against hitler dominated dominac ed europe but because of the concentration there of axis airborne air borne troops and combat planes hitler had pot not intended to give up north africa without a struggle his hold upon it would not have been possible without tunisia possession of the port of Bizer bizette te best equipped french mediterranean naval base by the united nations would mean that the allies would have relatively easy access to sicily and the italian main mainland and an effective springboard to nearby tripoli former powerhouse of axis north african activities success of the operations prompted president roosevelt to raise gen mark dark clark second in command to the rank of lieutenant general ROMMEL nutcracker bait like a groggy prize fighter back pedaling before a knockout punch marshal brommels Rom mels shattered afrika korps had scurried across libya pursued by general conquering eighth british army the chase had been nip and tuck with rommel trying to reach tripoli his main base near tunisia in an effort to use his remaining strength to make a stand but tripoli meant no rest for rommel for oncoming american armies from algeria in the west and battering ram from egypt in the east would converge in a mighty nutcracker nut cracker movement to annihilate axis power in north africa HITLER seizes all fa france ance military observers agreed that hillers Hit lers seizure of unoccupied france meant a further lengthening of his lines and a weakening of his forces the fuehrer had no other choice than to try to close the back d door to prospective allied invasion by ordering his own legions southward to the mediterranean and the spanish frontier and those of his italian stooge northward to the riviera Hi viera corsica island birthplace of napoleon was likewise seized but hillers Hit lers move into southern france meant that 20 to 30 axis divisions would have tied down in occupation duties thus weakening the english channel invasion coast and also his forces along the far flung russian front where action was at a stalemate he had likewise enlarged the area where the nazis would be sabotaged as they already have been elsewhere in occupied europe reports from russia indicated the nazis had already begun to withdraw troops to build up their defenses elsewhere in europe these were further substantiated by word from greece indicating the arrival of fresh german units at key seaport bases significantly hitler had first stopped his occupation forces 30 miles short of the french naval base at toulon designating it as a camp ret ranche to be bypassed by passed and set apart from occupation center of speculation since the 1940 armistice the french fleet comprising 62 warships was the prize at stake with the axis standing on the near side of the mediterranean and allies on the other now an allied collaborationist rat in africa adm jean darlan darian ha had d added his voice to that of gen dwight D eisenhower Elsen hower in in a request for the french fleet to join him in algeria ALLIES optimistic channel thrust from both sides of the atlantic official optimism over the wars future outlook was expressed by leaders as a result of the allied successes in north africa president roosevelt predicted the axis inevitable defeat and welcomed the increasing z number of frenchmen who are joining the united nations cause in london prime minister churchill for the first time since the bleak days of 1940 told the british public to rejoice mr churchill pointed out that a direct thrust across the english channel was coming in due time he suggested that the day would be nearer as soon as it was evident that germany was becoming demoralized zed the prime minister said that the allied drive in africa had as its primary objective the exposure of the underbelly of the axis especially italy to heavy attacks the extent of the armada that had carried american and british forces to the shores of north africa was disclosed by oliver lyttleton british minister of production who said that transports and warships had comprised the mammoth invasion fleet DRAFT inductions soar induction of 18 and 19 year olds into the nations armed forces by january 1 1943 appeared certain as the senate finally approved legislation lowering the selective service induction age in order to fil fill military requirements up to the first of f the year local boards throughout the country indicated they would soon have to begin drafting childless married men final impediment to the laws passage was hurdled when a group of senators decided not to press their attempt to require a full years training for all the 18 and 19 year yea olds before they could be sent into combat service overseas the house had bad previously approved a measure eliminating this feature meanwhile selective service headquarters disclosed that local boar boards d s had been advised that increasing demands of the armed forces require that a large number of men in essential activities who are liable for service be released for induction this meant that war plants would have to release key workers for the army and navy RUSSIAN FRONT nazi drives stalled from moscow took on an increasing note of optimism as the russians maintained that the german offensive against the red lines from the baltic to the black sea had been smashed for the year southeast of balchik where the german drive for the strategic trans caucasian military highway had been stalled the russ defenders continued to repel attacks elsewhere in the caucasus the reds were holding the nazis well in check soviet armies continued to keep a german force encircled in the mountainous vicinity of black sea base and thwarted every enemy attempt to break through the defenders of stalingrad Stal ingrad continued their heroic resistance while small enemy detachments infiltrated from the south these were thrown back meanwhile soviet troops northwest of the city continued to harass the germans SOUTH PACIFIC macarthur cArthur HIa pincer slam bang warfare continued in the air and on the ground in the south pacific with american and australian forces pressing the japs hard on new guinea and at guadal canal in the solomon islands general macarthurs Mac Arthurs headquarters reported that at oivi on new guinea allied forces were using pincer tactics to squeeze the japs out australian columns had cut off a 46 g 9 GEN DOUGLAS cARTHUR BIa pincer squeezes laps japs japanese retreat by means of a flanking movement the japs effort to cut their way through to the rear had been stopped by american troops flown by aerial transport to the vicinity of burial buna 55 miles northeast of the oivi battleground in the owen stanley mountain area at guadalcanal Guadal canal american troops met enemy attempts to recapture henderson airfield by an offensive that threw the japs back several miles an example of spectacular heroism in the guadalcanal Guadal canal fighting was cited by a navy department release recounting the feat of marine pat albert A whose companions part ions in arms say he killed more than japs in a single night while manning a machine gun from washington came a navy announcing the sinking of seven more jap ships in the southwest pacific by american submarines U US S ARMED FORCES to total armed forces for the united sta states tes totaling by the end of 1943 were envisioned by president roosevelt mr Roosevel ts estimates included an army of a navy of and marines and coast guard forces totaling |