Allies May Keep Rendezvous In Czechoslovakia

Northern Advocate, 20 April 1945, Page 4

Allies May Keep Rendezvous In Czechoslovakia

CRec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON. April 19. A vast new German pocket is developing in Czechoslovakia, stated Reuter's Moscow correspondent, pointing out that towns at each end of the pocket—Brno and Moravskaostrava — are being encircled and the Red Ai’my in the centre is striking across BrnoJihlva railway, which is the main potential German escape line back to i Prague.

\ Squadrons of Soviet planes are striking hard against roads and railways, while heavy guns are blasting their way through the. outer defences of the two towns, which already are outflanked from the west. Marshal Malinovsky’s troops on this front are seen here as the Red Army's spearhead which is destined to keep a rendezvous with the Allies somewhere in Czechoslovakia. They are waiting only for the fall of Brno to make a big lunge westward. Junction Approaching Reality

A Soviet commentator today said: “A junction of the two fronts is approaching reality. It is a great triumph for the military plans decided at Yalta.” Marshals Malinovsky and Tolbukhin are thrusting out prongs aimed at Prague, the Bavarian border and German communication lines with Northern Italy. Troops of the 3rd Ukrainian front and elements of the American 7th Army moving towards each other are threatening to upset Hitler’s plan for a 'stand in the Alpine regions. All these moves are part of the pattern for total destruction of the German army, but it would not be wise to say that the German line in the east is now crumbling or ready to crack. Along the entire length the Germans are taking a terrific punishment, as is shown by high tank and plane losses. A German war correspondent, in a message broadcast from Berlin, said that Russian tanks had reached the gates of Hoyefswerda, 33 miles northeast of Dresden (and only 65 miles from General Patton’s troops in Wurzen).