August 4, 1944

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, AUGUST 4, 1944:

 

RACINE, WIS., FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 4, 1944.

Trapped Nazis

Fight Fiercely

Inside Rennes

S U P R E M E HEADQUARTERS.

AEF— (U.P.) —

American mechanized columns slashed across Brittany in great sweeps that appeared to have cut the German defenses to ribbons today, and nazi broadcasts

said advanced U. S. elements had driven two-thirds of the

way across the base of the peninsula into Chaleaubriant, 34 miles northeast of Nantes.

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS.

Allied Expeditionary Force.—(AP)

U. S armor and infantry, spreading in a widening and lengthening tide over Brittany, reached within 43 miles of the two big ports of Nantes and St. Nazaire on the Loure today and cut off most of the peninsula. While bursting through country

20 miles south of Rennes the American forces also spread 27 miles west of that rail and highway hub in the center of Brittany coming within 108 miles east of Brest.

Vital Burma Base

Captured by Allies

Br J. B. KRUEGER

Associated Press War Editor.

Myitkyina has fallen, conquered by hard-bitten Allied troops who in ten weeks overcame monsoon jungle and and 3,000 Japanese defending this north Burma base vital to reopening the Ledo road back to China.

Southeast Asia headquarters announced Lt. Gen. Joseph Stilwell's triumph today, saying that remnants of the 18th Japanese division were wiped out with bazookas,

flame throwers, heavy artillery and mortars in the final hours of the long siege.

 Clears 200 Miles

Stilwell. nominated to be a four star general, had by this victory cleared more than 200 miles for miles south of Rennes for3

his now-building Ledo road out of

India, which he plans to link up1 193,000 population up the Loire

the with the Burma highway into sup- ( river.

ply-hungry China. His Chinese. They also were within five

American and Imperial troops ' miles of Pipriac. 20 mites southhave

in six months swept down , w c s t of Rennes and 43 miles from

the Hukawng valley to capture SL Nazaire. the U-boat base and

Kamaing. Mogaung and now My- U. S. troop port in the first World

itkyina. moot important enemy w≫'*-

base in north Burma.ejt