Current Events December 30, 1943;

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY DECEMBER 30, 1943:
German Front
Caves in Fast

Stalin Announces Triumphant Russian
Advances Along Wide Front; Zhitomir's
Defenses Broken; Thousands Entrapped

 The Red army ha»v surged ,to within 48 miles of the prewar Polish border west «f Kiev in * spectacular break-through along a 110-mile arc, continuing today 'its offensive across flat steppeland that offered the Germans few natural defenses short of the Bug river, 300 miles away.

 The Royal Air Force was believed to have completed the destruction of nearly half of Berlin last night with a mighty 2240-ton raid that left the battered capital wreathed in the flames of hundreds of fires.
The London Evening-News said flatly that it was estimated "half of Berlin has been dealt with." The raid was probably the second heaviest of the war on Berlin.

German Front
Caves in Fast
Stalin Announces Triumphant Russian
Advances Along Wide Front; Zhitomir's
Defenses Broken; Thousands Entrapped

 

 Fall of Vitebsk
Is Said Imminent
Reds Past Previous High
Point o£ Campaign* .
LONDON, Dec. 30.—(Thursday)—
The Red army ha»v surged ,to within 48 miles of the prewar Polish border west «f Kiev in * spectacular break-through along a 110-mile arc, continuing today 'its offensive across flat steppeland that offered the Germans few natural defenses short of the Bug river, 300 miles away.
The Soviet power drive took .330 communities in 34 hours, including the major rail hub and fortress town of Korosten as powerful German defenses were suddenly shattered,
.



Raid Second
Heaviest of War
on Reich Capital
LONDON, Dec. 30 (UP)—
American heavy bombers, taking up the knockout blows on the Reich immediately after last night's 2240-ton-bomb assault on Berlin by thc R. A. F attacked targets in southwest Germany today.
By Phil Ault
LONDON, Dec. 30. (UP) —
The Royal Air Force was believed to have completed the destruction of nearly half of Berlin last night with a mighty 2240-ton raid that left the battered capital wreathed in the flames of hundreds of fires.
The London Evening-News said flatly that it was estimated "half of Berlin has been dealt with." The raid was probably the second heaviest of the war on Berlin.
Cloud formations 16,000 -feet deep blanketed the path of ; the giant raiders all the way to the Nazi capital and chained the Luftwaffe's fighters to the ground.:.
Most of the returning bomber crews said they failed to' see-.a single enemy fighter along the way or over Berlin itself.
Handicapped by their lack' of night fighters and the impenetrable clouds, Berlin's ground defenders threw up a "blind" barrage, of  "anti-aircraft fire and searchlights in a futile attempt to turn back the raiders.