Can Germany Hold Siegfried Line?

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 211, 6 September 1944, Page 4

Can Germany Hold Siegfried Line?

Military Commentators Discuss German Dilemma (By Telegraph—Tress Assn.—Copyright.>_ (Special Correspondent.) Received Tuesday, 8.15 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 4. “What frontier defences can the enemy hold?” is the question all military commentators are asking. Before appreciating the position the Daily Telegraph’s military writer, Lieut.-General Martin, comments on Montgomery’s victory in Normandy. He says: “We may suppose that he fought the battle in accordance with a preconceived plan which he framed before the Allies even landed. First, he would deceive Rommel as to his intention, persuading him that his primary objective was Le Havre—to be taken preparatory to the advance on Paris astride the Seine. Then he would draw the weight of Rommel’s armour to the British front on the Allied left and so create an opportunity for the Americans on the right successively to overrun the Cherbourg Peninsula and break through with their armour. Ou that breakthrough the destruction of the enemy would follow. As Montgomery planned so he performed.’’ He continues: “Of this victory the Allies are now reaping the fruits and the stampede of the Germans to the Reich has begun. It is a rout which will continue unless and until the German High Command can erect some barrier behind which it can rally the fugitives—beyond the reach of the Allied forces.” General Martin expresses the opinion that at this crisis the German High Command is likely to concentrate its attention on what look to be the two most menaced sectors of its front—the Siegfried Line between Strasbourg and Treves and the Belgian defences between Liege and Antwerp. “In these two sectors it will try to build its barrier, relying on the detachments and difficulties of the terrain to hold up any Allied advance into the intervening sector of the Ardennes. Whatever barrier the High Command may hope to erect, the Allied strategy at the moment is to beat the enemy to it. Two separate thrusts are at present in the making: Firstly, Patton’s, who in due course will hit the Siegfried Line in the sector of Karlsruhe-Treves. If he can overrun that line before the High Command has organised it he will doubtless sweep onwards towards Frankfurt and Coblenz. “Secondly, in the centre and left, Hodges’ First Army and Montgomery’s Twentyfirst Army group are entering the Belgian Plain west of the Lower Meuse. Once the Allies have passed through the zone of frontier pillboxes and the coalmining area they should have a clear run until they reach the strongly-defended front of Liege-Louvain-Malines- Antwerp. “The vulnerable sector in this front is the open 60-mile gap between Louvain and Liege. Behind this front, however, the Albert Canal and the loop of the Meuse-Escaut junction form two strong supporting lines between Maestricht and Antwerp. It is here then that the High Command probably hopes to build its barrier. If that fails it must expect the Allies to invade the heart of the Rhineland and the Ruhr. “If this appreciation of the Allied purposes is correct the tendency of the Allied armies i 3 now somewhat centrifugal with Patton’s Third Army striking towards Frankfurt and the other three armies towards Cologne and Essen—with the awkward barrier of the Ardennes interposed between.” The Times’ military commentator expresses the opinion that the Germans cannot intend or hope to make a prolonged stand short of the Siegfried Line. For this reason they are likely to evacuate the Low Countries as well as France.” Captain Liddel Hart, in the Daily Mail, says: “If the Allied estimates are anywhere near accurate the enemy has nothing like sufficient troops still available to give him any chance of holding the Siegfried Line against the manypronged threats now developing. If the surviving German forces from Normandy and the Pas de Calais could outstrip the pursuit and get back in time to occupy the line the enemy would have a better chance of holding It, but even then their chance would be dim.” The News-Chronicle’s commentator, Major Philip Gribble, expresses the opinion that the Siegfried Line cannot be defended effectively. Here and there local resistance at keypoints such as the main river crossings may cause delay, but as soon as Elsenhower is ready to cross the German frontier in force there is every probability that his progress to Berlin will match the speed of his progress through France. Major Gribble adds: “Within the next fortnight movement on the eastern front may be expected which will hasten the end. ’ ’