IF THE WEATHER HOLDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 48, 26 February 1945, Page 5

IF THE WEATHER HOLDS

BEGINNING OF THE END ON WESTERN FRONT

RUGBY, February 24. General Eisenhower has stated that the Allies expect to destroy the German army west of the Rhine in the northern part;of the front in the area where they are now attacking. .The operations, he said, were progressing as satisfactorily as could possibly be expected, and given continuation of the present conditions and reasonably favourable weather, they should mark the beginning of the destruction of the enemy on the Western Front.

The supreme commander disclosed that the American Ninth Army, under General Simpson, is in Field-Marshal Montgomery's army group. He does not appear to, have mentioned the United States First Army, which is also engaged. This army is therefore presumably under General Bradley's command.

He declared that if the Germans continued to show their recent spirit there was only one way they could be

beaten; the Allied armies in the west must meet the Russian ermies in the centre of Germany.

The Anglo-American liaison with Russia, he added, had always been as close and intimate as was necessary to meet the situation of the particular moment. The Russians had furnished him with all the information he had needed and had done so willingly and cheerfully. General Eisenhower said he could conceive no worse, headache for the Germans than having their communications damaged and interfered with at a time when they were so stretched and were fighting on so many fronts, and when the movement of their armies from one place to another was so very important. In the last few days the Allies had had enough of a break in the -weather to enable their air forces to get back in the air in a particularly big way.

HITLER'S EXTRAORDINARY HOLD

He did not think there was anyone in Germany strong enough to take a lead in establishing a real underground movement hostile to the regime. Hitler's ability to keep his harassed and suffering people together was extraordinary.

Referring to the release of Allied prisoners of war as new parts of Germany were occupied, General Eisenhower said that many were now in Russian hands, and the arrangements with the Russians for taking care of them were completely satisfactory. Information was received from time to time of prisoners in very poor shape being sent to corners of Germany, but it was hoped.that through the Swiss Red Cross we should be able to help them without distinction of nationality. Asked whether the French army would be given a chance to fight the Germans inside Germany, he said he wanted more French divisions in the battle. He paid a tribute to the way the French people were accepting the present conditions, and admitted that they were having a very hard time. He thought that they realised, however, that suffering was sometimes necessary at home as it was on the battlefield in order to finish the main job, namely, killing the Germans. The French nation as a whole deserved a lot for the way they were taking it. They were not getting much to eat, and he was surprised that criticisms in the French Press were not more bitter.— 8.0. W.