The Pittsburgh Press (August 4, 1944)
Yanks closing on two ports; Brittany almost cut off
U.S. may occupy all of Brittany within few days
By Virgil Pinkley, United Press staff writer
Smashing ahead in Brittany, U.S. forces have advanced more than 20 miles southwest of Rennes (1) in a move which may cut off the peninsula. In other areas, U.S. troops moved southwest of Dinan and Saint-Méen (2) on the way toward Brest, while in the Vire area (3) they continued their drive south. Northeast of Vire, the British yielded some ground under a German counterattack. The pictures of ships indicated deep seaports which will be of invaluable aid to the Allies.
SHAEF, London, England –
U.S. mobile forces sped at least 20 miles southward beyond Rennes in Brittany today, and informed quarters here expected them to capture the great French ports of Saint-Nazaire and Nantes within 24 hours, blocking off the entire Brittany Peninsula for a quick mop-up.
At Allied headquarters, the occupation of the whole peninsula by Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley’s flying columns careening through it at lightning speed seemed to be a matter of a few days.
Responsible sources said this evening it would not be surprising if Gen. Bradley’s advanced elements had already reached the German positions covering Saint-Nazaire and Nantes on the Loire estuary.
Front dispatches revealed that U.S. armored columns had raced virtually at will to points 20 miles below Rennes, 31 miles from the south coast, and 17 miles southwest of Dinan in a many-pronged push threatening to collapse the last organized German resistance on the peninsula.
Only in the area of Rennes, which Washington said yesterday had been captured, was any formidable German resistance reported, and bypassing elements were already speeding far on beyond that knot of opposition both to the south and the west.
Gen. Bradley’s westbound right wing swept along the coast toward Brest and opened a frontal push against Saint-Malo, which was bypassed by a column striking through Dinan to Broons, 17 miles to the southwest and 31 miles northwest of Rennes.
At Allied headquarters, it was believed the elements of four German divisions believed to be in Brittany might undertake one stubborn stand somewhere in the Brittany hills. But if so, it was regarded as foredoomed.
The distance of the American vanguard from their goals on the south coast was measured best not in miles but in terms of resistance ahead of it and the speed with which it could be supplied with food, fuel and ammunition.
The only definite news here this evening was that the hard-riding tankmen were well beyond Rennes and using strongly along the north coast beyond Dinan.
Airmen who flew over the battle area below Avranches said the roads were packed with supply vehicles and reinforcements, sharply contrasting with the deserted highways on the German side.
Supply a factor
Injecting a note of caution, however, observers pointed out that the spectacular speed of the U.S. armored advance in the last 10 days would strain any supply service, and difficulties were increasing with every mile of advance.
As in the German sweep through France in 1940, the enemy had been broken on the Brittany front, his communications ripped asunder, his available reinforcements exhausted and his entire campaign plan thrown into disruption.
Lack of armor, transport or fuel or a combination of all three forced the defenders of Brittany into a so-called garrison defense of the bigger towns. In spots, resistance had been stubborn, but in others the Germans gave up when confronted by the armored spearheads.
Little hope of escape
This was a significant commentary on the morale of the 25,000 or so men left to defend Brittany with no hope of reinforcement from the strained German armies in France and very little hope of escape.
All around a rough arc of 75 to 100 miles bulging south and west through Brittany, U.S. spearheads probed through strongpoints vital to any defense of the peninsula and its strategic harbors of Brest and Lorient.
United Press staff writer Robert C. Miller said the onrushing Americans had pushed to the area of Pipriac, 22½ miles south of Rennes, had reached Bain-de-Bretagne nearby, and were at Mauron and Saint-Méen-le-Grand, to the northeast.
Mr. Miller said the fighting was especially heavy at La Charbonnière, north of Rennes, and an airport south of the great transport center commanding most of the communications throughout Brittany.
The Americans appeared headed toward Saint-Nazaire, port and submarine base 37 miles south of Pipriac, but could cut off the peninsula with a drive southwest to the Muzillac–La Roche-Bernard area of the coast only 31 miles from Pipriac. Another spearhead may be sent against Nantes, 42 miles southeast of Pipriac.
Saint-Nazaire and Nantes, along with Lorient and Brest, have been the main bases from which German submarines have been preying on Allied sea lanes in the Atlantic.
Another U.S. armored column drove 26 miles southwest from Combourg, halfway between Rennes and the sea, to Saint-Méen-le-Grand, 23 miles west of Rennes, Mr. Miller said, while infantry approached Évran, six miles south-southeast of Dinan.
U.S. tanks at Saint-Méen were 105 miles from Brest, at the western tip of Brittany, astride the main highway from Rennes.
190,000 Nazi casualties
Allied headquarters estimated that the Allies since D-Day (June 6) have killed, wounded or captured 190,000 Germans – roughly half the total of German troops so far committed in the Battle of France. Some enemy divisions have been mauled so badly companies of 150 have been reduced to 25 men.
U.S. troops alone captured 70,000 prisoners, including 8,000 in the 24 hours ended Thursday afternoon. Another 20,000 have been killed by the Americans and 40,000 wounded, while the British 2nd Army had captured 30,000 prisoners and killed or wounded another 30,000.
While his southern forces pressed the liberation of Brittany, other elements of Gen. Bradley’s 1st Army rolled up the German flank in Normandy.
Nazi pocket narrowed
U.S. infantry further narrowed the German pocket west and northwest of newly-captured Vire with an advance to Saint-Sever–Calvados seven miles west of Vire, and also scored new gains to the northwest.
Other U.S. troops pushed south from Vire without meeting any serious organized resistance, a headquarters spokesman said.
British advanced elements fell back 2,000 yards from high ground overlooking Aunay-sur-Odon, 16 miles northeast of Vire, under the pressure of strong German counterattacks last night, United Press staff writer Samuel D. Hales reported from British headquarters.
British yield towns
In their retreat, the British abandoned the villages of Saint-Georges-d’Aunay and Lalande. They also withdrew from Loisonnière, but later recaptured the town.
Farther north, the British drove to within a mile of heavily-defended Villers-Bocage.
Halfway between Villers-Bocage and Caen, Canadian forces in the vicinity of Bougy and Gavrus on the southeast bank of the Odon began a “forward movement” through pastures, but Mr. Hales said this was a “small-scale advance.”
Allied headquarters announced that the French 2nd Armored Division was now in Britain “trained for operations,” presumably in its homeland.
