September 2, 1944;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1944:

 

Helena, Montana, Saturday, September 2, 1944

Verdun Push

Brings U.S.

Nearer Goal

Battle for France

Is Ending in

Blaze of Victory

Supreme Headquarters Allied

Expeditionary Force,

Sept. 2.— (AP) —

High-s p e e d

American columns pounded toward Germany from Verdun today, while their First army comrades struck within five to eight miles of Belgium on a 30-

mile front west of Sedan.

Berlin radio declared the Verdun push had neared Thionville, only 11 miles from the German frontier. This would mean a dash through the old Maginot

line, and within some 20 miles of Saar river outposts of the Siegfried line, where Hitler may hope to establish a homeland defense. Thionville Is on the west bank of the Moselle river, 17 miles above Metz.

The battle for France was ending in a blazing victory, with promise of swift liberation of the low countries where the Germans had unleashed floodwater.

May Be In Belgium

The pace of the advance—with official word lagging behind correspondents' reports — suggested the doughboys by now likely were in Belgium, perhaps already In Luxembourg, and probably would be on the Reich's borders sometime, this weekend.

Allies Charge on Lyon

Despite Rain; Foe

Makes Stubborn Stand

Germans Frantically Seek to Escape Trap

Laid by U. S., French; Many Nazis

Are Taken Prisoner; Eastern Towns Fall

By Noland Norgaard

Home, Sept. 2.—(AP)—

Despite scattered rains that hampered progress in some areas, American and French columns of the Seventh army were closing in steadily today on the great

French city of Lyon, where the retreating Germans were reported feverishly digging rear guard positions in an attempt to slow their pursuers.

Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch's headquarters said heavy motor movements continued on the roads north and northwest of the city, as the Nazi command sought to escape from the jaws of an Allied trap closing in from both the north and south.

Silence Is Believed

Ominous for Japs

Over Pacific. Area

General Headquarters. Southwest

Pacific, Sept. 2.—(/P)—

The point of interest today in the war with Japan over vast stretches of the Pacific, was the perhaps ominous paucity of Allied reports.

For the first time since Aug. 10, Adm. Chester W. Nimitz at

Pearl Harbor let a day go by yesterday without issuing either a communique or a press release. Military leaders in his theater have made no secret of the fact

that Guam, where organized Japanese resistance ceased last Aug. 9, is being mushroomed into a gigantic base for the next offensive blow.

In the command area of Gen. Douglas Mac-Arthur, busy with preparations for the next offensive thrust toward the Philippines the last previous one was the

July 30 landing at Sansapor, Dutch New Guinea—today's communique listed only limited air actions.