Current Events November 29, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY NOVEMBER 29, 1943:

—Powerful Soviet tank and nfantry forces raced toward Minsk arid the Polish border today after engulfing more than 150 White Russian towns and villages in a massive pincers drive treatening to trap 300,000 fleeing Nazi troops. 

Eighth Army, called upon Sir Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery to hit the Germans a: "colossal crack" and to drive them,  north of Home, struck out in-a new offensive in the darkness of sunday morning from its Sangro
bridge 'heads -and is making good progress in the face of enemy flamethrowers, Allied headquarters announced today.

 New Japanese aerial reinforcements were reported flowing into the Southwest Pacific battle theatre today a, American  and Allied troopa and warplanes piled p enemy losses aground and  aloft from the Solomons to New Guinea.

 The Berlin radio reported today that the Aegean island of Thera (Santorin), 70 miles north of Crete, surrendered to German naval force Saturday night. It was the first indication that the Allies had penetrated that deeply into islands be low Greece.

Soviets Regain 15O Towns in White Russia
               The Port Arthur News
                  PORT ARTHUR. TEXAS, MONDAY. NOVEMBER:29, 1943.

8TH ARMY OPENS NEW DRIVE ON ROME
 20 GERMAN
DIVISIONS
FACE TRAP
Russian Forces Race
Toward Minsk And
Polish Border
 By Natalia ReneMOSCOW, Nov. 29 (INS).
—Powerful Soviet tank and nfantry forces raced toward Minsk arid the Polish border today after engulfing more than 150 White Russian towns and villages in a massive pincers drive treatening to trap 300,000 fleeing Nazi troops. - - . •
As the-Red army smashed northest from Gomel to within 15 miles Zhlobin on the Leningrad Odesa railroad, other Russian columns 3 the west . seized .24 localities along the ' lower reaches of the Berezina river.
                                                              Narrow Escape Corridor
The Russian nutcracker forming to the north and south threatened to pinch off Zhlobin and encircle the German.divisions attempting.to evacuate the area northwest of Gomel along an escape corridor narrowed to less than 20 miles.
A Reuter dispatch from Mosow said one Russian 'column is less than J2 miles south of Zhloin while another is 20 miles southeast of the strategic railroad junction.)
Russian defenses near Brusllov 40 miles west of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, held firmly depite eight furious German atacks by powerful tank forces.
                                                    Nazi's Claim Korosten 
The Berlin radio claimed the Germans had recaptured Korosten 85 miles northwest of Kiev on the
Leningrad-Odessa railroad, but the Soviet communique indicated Russian defenses in that area were
holding.

 SANGRO IS
CROSSED IN
2ND PLACE
British Warships Lay
Down Bombardment;
To Cover Troops
 By Edward Kennedy ,„
A L I, I E D HEADQUARTERS
 Algiers, Nov. 29 (AP)
Eighth Army, called upon Sir Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery to hit the Germans a: "colossal crack" and to drive them,  north of Home, struck out in-a new offensive in the darkness of sunday morning from its Sangro
bridge 'heads -and is making good progress in the face of enemy flamethrowers, Allied headquarters anounced today. 
The attack, delivered at night in typical Montgomery style, was preceded  and backed by a terrific air onslaught. It was carried out by veteran British,. Indian and New
Zealand divisions rushing forward in the flashing light of an "exceptionally heavy" artillery barrage. •••-
                                                              Attack 'Going Well'
A headquarters spokesman laid the attack was going well. Before the Eighth Army's wheels were set churning westward from the bridgehead into the enemy's hill positions toward Home, British, destroyers laid down a bombardment of the enemy port of Civitanova, 23 miles south of Ancona on the Adriatic coast . 

Japanese Sending
More Planes Into
 Wewak, Is Report
U. S. Forces Advance Half-Mile In Fighting
On Bougainville; Jap Cruiser Blasted By
1000-Ton Bomb; Nip Bases Raided
 New Japanese aerial reinforcements were reported flowing into the Southwest Pacific battle theatre today a, American  and Allied troopa and warplanes piled p enemy losses aground and  aloft from the Solomons to New Guinea.
 While a communique reported that United'-States troops on Bougainville sland had added another
half mile to their beachhead at Empress Augusta bay, front reports diisclosed that, at least 100 new Japancse planes had reached the enemy staging base at Wewak, in northern New Guinea.
                                            Bombers Attack New Group
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's bombers struck immediately at. the new concentration and destroyed ateast five enemy planes on the ground. . .
The size of the Japanese air craft reinforcements—half of them fighters-suggested the enemy was marshalling new air power for another challenge to Allied aeria supremacy over the Southwest Pacific battlefield.
Lt."Gen. George C. K e n n e y Allied Air force commander, said lowever, that the Japanese were using "second string airmen" and predicted that control of the air would remain with his fliers. -
                                                      Gain Half Mile
American troops extended the Empress Augusta bay beachhead on Bougainville a half mile in fighting between Nov. 19 and 25, a dispatch from Admiral William F Halsey's headquarters said.


Germans Claim
Isle Captured
LONDON, Nov. 29. (UP).—
The Berlin radio reported today that the Aegean island of Thera (Santorin), 70 miles north of Crete, surrendered to German naval force Saturday night. It was the first indication that the Allies had penetrated that deeply into islands be low Greece.
There was no immediate explanation of when and how the Allle took tho island, if the Nazi account of its surrender is correct.