Current Events December 2, 1942; BIG FIGHT NEARS AT TRIPOLI / MOUSSILINI VOWS TO FIGHT / RUSSIANS CAPTURE VITAL HEIGHTS:

     The Portsmouth Times

          PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 1942

BOMBS POURED ON TUNIS, BIZERTE

HITLER PILES IN

MORE TROOPS AS

BIG FIGHT NEARS

French And U. S. Troops Cut Across

Road To Tripoli; Axis Forces Expected

To Make Determined Stand

To Hold Base; Dorian Takes Control

By The Associated Press

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Dec. 2 --

American and B r i t i sh troops tightening the ring around Bizerte

have smashed back with "heavy losses" the. highest German

counter attack of the- Tunisian campaign, an Allied headquarters

spokesman said today.

Mussolini Cracks Back At

Churchill Vows To Fight

Duce Says Germany Will Come To Side Of I t a l i a n s If

Allies Try Attack; Assails Roosevelt As Man Who

Promoted War; Tells Toll Of Dead

By The Associated Press

LONDON, Dec. 2—Premier

Mussolini struck back angrily

today at Prime Minister Churchill's-

warning that the Italian

people should sue for peace and

said the Italians "will not be

inferior to the British and Russians.

Winnipeg Free Press

WINNIPEG, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1942

RUSSIANS CAPTURE VITAL HEIGHTS

Pincers Tighten On Nazis At Stalingrad

Moscow, Dec. 2.—Russian troops have stormed and captured two important heights in the Stalingrad area and driven Nazi lines back two and one-half to five miles, front despatches reported today.

Red army shock troops who captured one height, Yiizhnaya hill, south of the Volga capital, destroyed three German infantry battalions and two artillery units. Their advance tightened the Russian pincers enveloping the city. Red Star, army organ, said the hill commanded the entire sector immediately south of Stalingrad and dominated the

area stretching east to the Volga.

So long as the Germans held this

icight, the Russians could not observe

enemy positions or reserves

approaching the city, Red Star said.

The height north of the city,

unown as the Mamaev hill, was

stormed by Russian marines alter

it had changed hands several

times. . .

They were described as the most

important heights strategically in

the Stalingrad sector.

The enemy had held Yuzhnaya

hill since early in the battle of

Stalingrad and its heights had

given him a clear view east to the

Volga, a stronghold dominating part

of the city and cover for troop

movements inside.

Desperate Resistance