Current Events August 21, 1943;

Current Events August 21, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, AUGUST 21, 1943:

Tension in Europe mounted to fever-pitch last night, as the Allies' highest chieftains neared completion of the final blueprints for the death blow at the enemy and Axis military experts rushed defense preparations under a handicap of increasing resistance from its conquered peoples.

Heavy American and British bombers, all concentrating on the city of Foggia, brought the Allied bombardment of Italy to a new and terrible peak of destruction today, smashing the city's important industrial and communications area in one of the greatest attacks ever mounted in the Mediterranean.

Allied planes swept against the Nazi invasion coasts yesterday, carrying on the sustained aerial offensive which in 19 days of August has claimed at least 239 first line-enemy planes, with the score of fighters shot down on one Fortress attack still unreported.

STARS AND STRIPE

 Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

New York, N.Y.—London, England Saturday, Aug. 21, 1943

Europe Tense as Invasion Threat Grows

Resistance Spreads

As France Is Told :

Get Ready to Help'

Word From Quebec Conferences Awaited

As Allies Lash Nazi Air Defenses;

London Hears Rumor Italy Out

Tension in Europe mounted to fever-pitch last night, as the Allies' highest chieftains neared completion of the final blueprints for the death blow at the enemy and Axis military experts rushed defense preparations under a handicap of increasing resistance from its conquered peoples. In London rumors persisted that Italy already had accepted unconditional surrender, but official sources denied knowledge of "it.

With southern Italy subjected to some of the most concentrated bombardment the Mediterranean has seen, and with Germany battered by land on the east and by air on the west, these developments stood out in the day's news.

Air Assault

Hits Foggia

Death Blow

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Four-Wave Attack Equals

First Raid on Rome;

Islands Surrender

By Relman Morin

Associated' Press War Correspondent

ALLIED HQ.. North Africa, Aug. 20—

Heavy American and British bombers, all concentrating on the city of Foggia, brought the Allied bombardment of Italy to a new and terrible peak of destruction today, smashing the city's important industrial and communications area in one of the greatest attacks ever mounted in the Mediterranean.

Flying Fortresses, Liberators and Wellingtons .participated in the attack, a saturation raid which lasted through the day and night hours..

(The first wave of Liberators, United Press reported, was led by Col. John R.(Killer) Kane, of Shrevepprt, La., whose winning of the Congressional Medal of Honor for the attack on Ploesti was announced the day before. The B24s dropped nearly 150 tons of bombs, it was announced at Cairo.)

The crews brought back vivid descriptions of destruction and damage with flames and explosions pouring from the railway yards, industrial buildings, military installations, warehouses and electric power plants. Invasion Isles Taken

Meanwhile, Lipari and Stromboli, two of the main islands of the important Aeolian group, off the west coast of the Italian mainland, surrendered to American warships on Tuesday morning and within a few hours, naval landing parties had gone shore.

The surprise surrender and occupation, placing the whole island group north of Sicily at the disposal of the Allies, was announced officially this morning.

Valuable Observation Point

Air Blows by Allies Reducing

Fighter Strength of Luftwaffe

Allied planes swept against the Nazi invasion coasts yesterday, carrying on the sustained aerial offensive which in 19 days of August has claimed at least 239 first line-enemy planes, with the score of fighters shot down on one Fortress attack still unreported.

Flying Fortresses and Thunderbolt fighters have shot down at least 150 Nazi fighters and interceptors so far this month, and the box score still does not list the tally of the Fortress formation which hit Regensburg and flew on to Africa. B26 gunners have chalked upone more confirmed victim. In addition, RAF Spitfires have accounted for another 25 fighters while accompanying USA AF bombers, and the RAF as a whole has destroyed a further 63 enemy aircraft over Europe.