Current Events October 20, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, OCTOBER 20, 1943:

United States troops will undoubtedly take a leading and decisive part in the "grand assault, by all arms, on
Hitler's Fortress of Europe" next year. Field Marshal Jan C. Smuts, South America's Prime Minister, declared yesterday in a London Guild Hall address."In view of the intense and prolonged strain and excessive demands upon the British Commonwealth, American manpower had been rightly looked upon as our grand strategic reserve in the west for the final moves of the war," the South African soldier-statesman said.

Germany's new secret bomb weapon has already been tested against Britain and is now ready for reprisal aerial warfare against the British, the Berlin correspondent of "Aftonbladet" said in a dispatch today.
Details of the weapon were not disclosed, but German military experts told the correspondent that tests showed the new high explosive caused 90 per cent destruction in target areas

Despite heavy German 'tank and air opposition, Soviet infantrymen today were reported to have made their second major breakthrough north of Kiev, last Nazi stronghold in the Ukraine, since crossing the Dnieper
in strength

After ten days of inactivity, RAF heavy bombers made a strong attack on Hanover, the leading railway center between Germany and the Low Countries, Monday night, it was announced yesterday.
The attack on the industrial city of Hanover, which has a population of 500,000, lies about 380 miles from Britain,



          THE STARS AND STRIPES
       Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations
                                 New York, N.Y.—London, England     Wednesday, Oct. 20,-1943


Smuts Predicts U.S. Doughboys
Will Lead Way in Blasting Open
2nd Front in Europe Next Year
Calls Yank Armies
The Key to War's
Grand Finale
United States troops will undoubtedly take u leading and decisive part in the "grand assault, by all arms, on Hitler's Fortress of Europe" next year. Field Marshal Jan C. Smuts, South A .•:. ica's Prime Minister, declared yesterday in a London Guild Hall address."In view of the intense and prolonged strain and excessive demands upon the British Commonwealth, American manpower had been rightly looked upon as our grand strategic reserve in the west for the final moves of the war," the South African soldier-statesman said.
Smuts said that while every ally would go all-out to bring about the final climax "the U.S.A.—the latest, freshest and most potent newcomer into the field— may have to play the decisive part in the concluding act of the great war drama."
'The Arsenal of Democracy' He added that such a role by the Americans would be the best justification for the all-important part the U.S. would likely play in the peace and the building up of the new world order thereafter.
Covering the role already played by the U.S. in the war, Smuts said "In spi.'e of its already great contribution, its role in the war has so far been principally what it was originally intended to be— the arsenal of Democracy." The American industrial effort, he said, has been prodigious and is still moving to an almost
incredible peak.

Germans' Secret Bomb
Tested in Britain Raids
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 19 (AP)—
Germany's new secret bomb weapon has already been tested against Britain and is now ready for reprisal aerial warfare against the British, the Berlin correspondent of "Aftonbladet" said in a dispatch today.
Details of the weapon were not disclosed, but German military experts told the correspondent that tests showed the new high explosive caused 90 per cent destruction in target areas.
The bomb was invented by Col. Dumplinger, a friend of Hitler's, the dispatch said. It added that only a
few of the bombs have been dropped on Britain so far and the weapon was used once in the Mediterranean area.

Allies Push
Entire Italy
Line Ahead
Nazis Pull Back Toward
Garigliano River; 8th
Takes San Stefano
Against stiffening enemy resistance the Fifth Army drove forward anew yesterday from the Volturno in its
advance toward the Garigliano River, 20 miles from the Volturno and the .ntext likely point for a German stand.
Farther east the Eighth Army, pushing westward toward the Fifth's right flank, advanced four miles to capture San Stefano after beating off a number of heavy enemy counter-attacks.
A total of 23 towns and villages fell into Allied hands in 24 hours and the 100-mile Allied line across Italy was pushed forward a number of miles for most of its length.
                                                 Eighth, Fifth May Link Up
The risht flank, of the Fifth, battling east of Capua, moved ahead four miles and thrust across the Titerno River. This progress may soon bring Allied troops on to the high ground which dominates the Garigliano. and continued advances also may bring a link-up of the Fifth's wing and the Eighth Army.

Soviets Pierce
Nazi Kiev Line
Heavy German Air, Tank
Opposition Fails to Halt
Russian Onslaught
MOSCOW, Oct. 19—
Despite heavy German'tank and air opposition, Soviet infantrymen today were reported to have made their second major breakthrough north of Kiev, last Nazi stronghold in the Ukraine, since crossing the Dnieper
in strength.
Farther south, Russian units engaged in fierce strcet-to-street fighting in Melitopol, key city of the Crimea, to
capture three-quarters of the metropolis.
The Nazis were putting up strong resistance to allow their Crimea forces time to evacuate to other sectors. The Russians were reported within ten miles of the important railway line running between Krivoi Rog and Dniepropetrovsk, from which the Germans have pulled out their main units to escape entrapment.
The Russians claimed advances by tanks on all fronts, indicating that the Red armored forces have crossed the Dnieper's right bank in full strength.

Big RAF Fleet
Jolts Hanover
17 Bombers Lost in Raid
Which Ends 10-Day
Lull for British
After ten days of inactivity, RAF heavy bombers made a strong attack on Hanover, the leading railway center between Germany and the Low Countries, Monday night, it was announced yesterday.
The attack on the industrial city of Hanover, which has a population of 500,000, lies about 380 miles from Britain,
It cost of the RAF 17 bombers. Accurate observation of the results of the raid, officially described as "in strength," was prevented by clouds. RAF Mosquitos dropped bombs on targets in Berlin and Western Germany Monday night, the Air Ministry also reported. it was their fourth raid of the month on Germany's leading city. Hanover, site of the great Continental Giimmiwerke, where much of the Nazi war machine's finished rubber products are manufactured, has had 52 Allied aerial attacks. It was last raided on Oct. 8, when the RAF wiped out several industrial areas while losing 31 bombers.
The Air Ministry announced that Coastal Command Beaufighters yesterday attacked enemy shipping off the
Dutch coast, including the German-merchant vessel Strasburg, which has been aground for some weeks, and was in tow.
Several hits were scored on the ship, and three of the escort vessels were damaged.
One British plane was lost.