Monday, February 21, 2011

Current Events February 19, 1943, AMERICANS WITHDRAW TO HILLS / JAPANESE RETREATING IN NEW GINEA / RUSSIANS PUSH GERMANS OUT OF DON:

           THE STARS AND STRIPES
Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations
London, England Friday, Feb. 19, 1943

Americans Withdraw to Hills ,
To Take Up New Defense Line
As Panzers Take Three Towns
Thrust Seems Over;
Little Chance Soon
Of Counter-Blow
ALLIED HQ, North Africa,
Feb. 18 (AP)—The Germans^ have occupied three more villages in
Southern Tunisia—Fereina, Sbeitla and Kasserine—and front-line reports
disclosed today that American armored forces had suffered a serious
defeat.
The American forces withdrew into the mountains below Tebessa, where
they now have defensive advantages. (American troops withdrawn from the
three towns on the railway southwest of Sousse—Sbeitla, Kasserine and Feriana
are being regrouped in the hills behind the railway for a determined stand against
any further Axis advance northwest. United Press reported. No further Nazi
advance is expected at present, however.)

' Serious, But Not to Be
Exaggerated '—Stimson
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (AP)—
Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson said today that American forces in
Central Tunisia had suffered a " serious local set-back" which
" should not be minimized, but still less should it be exaggerated."
Reports were incomplete, Mr. Stimson told a Press conference, but the
American forces had apparently suffered rather heavy casualties in
both personnel and equipment with a number of tanks destroyed by
German dive-bombers in the fight in the last four days.
Mr. Stimson said the German thrust was apparently intended only
to widen the Nazi corridor along the coast and was not the beginning of
any large-scale offensive



Allies Pursue
Retreating Japs
In New Guinea
Enemy Airport, Barges}
Attacked by Bombers
In SW Pacific
ALLIED HQ, Southwest Pacific, Feb.-18 (UP)—Allied troops, who last week!
drove back the Japanese attack against the Allied airport at Wau, are still pur-
suing the defeated enemy towards Mubo. At present, skirmishing with the enemy
remnants is in progress, but the exact location of the fighting has not been!
specified. It is stated, however, to be much nearer to Mubo than to Wau
The Japanese airport at Gasmata was the target for Allied 'heavy bombers,
which in a strafing sweep also attacked barges off shore .
Ulithi, in New Britain, was also attacked by our heavy bombers. Fires were started
in the area. Other attacks were carried out on the Jap occupied town of Babo,
Dutch New Guinea, and on Cape Gloucester, where an 80 foot Jap
schooner was sunk.

Red Tactics
Prevent Foe
Fixing Line
Nazi Counter-Blows Fail
Against Encirclements
All Along Front
MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (AP)—Unable to fix on a permanent line anywhere
along the 400-mile front from the region of Kursk to the Sea of Azov,
the sagging German lines rolled westward today with the Russians in hot
pursuit.
Dispatches from the front gave reports of numerous Axis counter-
1 attacks with tanks, infantry and planes, but there was no indication that
the Nazis were able to hold up the Red Army's advance at any point of any size.
It was the same old story—a swift moving advance by Russian mobile units
darting around the enemy from more than one direction and ever threatening to
encircle, exterminate or take prisoner every garrison within their path.
The most potent points of the Soviet push at the moment were north of Kursk,
northwest, west and southwest of Kharkov, and on three sides of the Don
Basin.
Orel Threatened

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