SERIOUS FOR GERMANY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 202, 24 August 1944, Page 5

SERIOUS FOR GERMANY

SITUATION JN FRANCE CHIEF MILITARY CRITIC ADMITS GRAVITY

Recd. 6 p.m. London, Aug. 22. “The position for Germany is too serious to permit any concealment,” said General Dietmar, broadcasting to the Germans. “Tne Allies' huge air superiority on the western front makes every German movement more difficult. A high degree of coldbloodedness of leadership, in addition to extraordinary fighting achievements by German troops, will be necessary to meet the coming difficult period. The battle raging in France threatens to jeopardise much of what we gained in 1940 and thereafter regarded as an essential part of our military power. Perhaps we will be compelled to wage war on a reduced scale In the west as well as In the east.” HEAVY ANXIETIES. “The fighting in the v*ast in the past few weeks has taken a course involving new, heavy anxieties for the German people. The break-through at Avranches at the end of July had serious consequences. We are not concealing that the difficulties of our detaching movements even to-day has not been entirely overcome. It is a hard task to fight and march In a compressed space. This is further complicated by the enemy’s vast air superiority hindering all our movements. “A second Allied pincer movement on a considerably larger scale is beginning to take shape near Mantes and Vernon, on the lower side of the Seine. Our enemies have also thrown in considerable forces in South vn France. TIME IS NEEDED. “No one can ignore the gravity of the situation, but no doubt this 'also can be stabil :cd. There are developments maturing on which we pin our faith and confidence. Everything depends on our ability to gain time to bridge the gap resulting from shortcomings and weaknesses in some military fields. Confidence, some luck and a tremendous effort from the entire German people will be required to overcome the present situation. We know also that we still face a hard defensive struggle in the east."

ENCIRCLING MOVE. With the American forces enlarging ‘jridgehead across the Seine on both sides of Paris and fanning out. Captain Sertorius, the leading German military commentator, said- “The enemy means to herd the German 7th Army together at the mouth of the Seine and encircle it by a far-flung enveloping move. The situation in r rance is tense and fraught with many risks. The concentrated attack la T X s not yet taken definite li P :J 3Ut 11 can safe| y be assumed ??fh t , he , enom >’. whose Normandy irom has been considerably shortened is drawing off more forces from this sector and throwing them not only against the middle of the Seine but also m the area between Paris ’ and u.laans. His orobable aim is to mount new operational thrusts against the upper Seine and strike out beyond."