Maj. Williams: Who slipped up?
By Maj. Al Williams
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Another millionaire’s estate becomes G.I. playground
Christian Holmes property in Hawaii given to Army Air Force for rest center
By William McGaffin
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Gracie Allen Reporting
By Gracie Allen
Hollywood, California –
Well, some thoughtless war correspondent over in the Philippines has just cabled the news that all the Japs are starting to move out of their Manila hotels and apartments in fear of the approaching American troops. I say “thoughtless” because when word gets around that apartments are vacant in Manila an army of homeless American civilians is liable to enter the city before MacArthur does.
Well, it just goes to show the Japs can’t take it. You wouldn’t find any American vacating his apartment just because some old army was at the front door. Have you tried to find an apartment lately? Our forefathers complained because they had to fight Sitting Bull to find a place to live. The present occupants of apartments may not be Indians but believe me Sitting Bull couldn’t sit any tighter than they are doing.
Monahan: Thin Man series is resumed
Powell, Miss Loy on Penn Screen
By Kaspar Monahan
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‘Little guy’ underdogs film heroes now
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Völkischer Beobachter (January 20, 1945)
Churchills verzweifelten Ausfluchtsversuche
Die Bilanz eines Bankrotteurs
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Protest der Reichregierung
Nordamerikaner beschossen deutsche Sanitätssoldaten
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US-Bomben auf Briten
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Broadway-Melodien
(SS-pk.) – In einer amerikanischen Zeitschrift, die irgendwo vergessen im Schnee lag, sahen wir folgendes Bild: An der Reeling eines Überseedampfers, der in den Halen von Neuyork einläuft, stehen drei sonnengebräunte Soldaten mit lachenden Gesichtern.
Einer von ihnen trägt über der Schulter einen deutschen Stahlheim, auf den ein großes Hakenkreuz gemalt ist. Es besteht kein Zweifel darüber, dass dieses Bild die Stimmung und Hoffnung des amerikanischen Soldaten enthielt, der, gesättigt von den Siegen eines abenteuerlichen Sommers, die Gedanken heimwärts richtete.
Es kommt uns dabei auch das Bild in Erinnerung, das einer aus Paris mitbrachte, der die Amerikaner dort auf den Straßen sah: Zu zehn Mann. Arm in Arm. über die Boulevards ziehend, singend und mit Äpfeln wertend, die sie aus den Gärten holten. Und vor uns haben wir den Brief von Joan aus Texas, datiert vom 15. November, in dem sie schreibt: „Wir haben gelesen, wie hart es bei Aachen ist und dass sie bis zum Letzten kämpfen.“ Er war Weihnachten nicht zu Hause, und Joan wird auf ihren. Brief keine Antwort erhalten. Sie wird den goldenen Stern, das Zeichen der Toten, ins Fenster stellen müssen und wir glauben nicht, dass es sie tröstet.
Der blühende Sommer hat sich in einen bitteren Winter verwandelt, und es wandeln sich alle Vorstellungen mit ihm, sie gehen durch eine grausame Zensur. Unmerklich, nach und nach wird die große Nüchternheit sie überkommen, ein Prozess, der beim amerikanischen Grabensoldaten beginnt, dessen bittere Spottgedichte bis zu uns gedrungen sind. Eines davon beginnt: „Ihr, die ihr zu Hause sitzt, auf weichen Stühlen, bebändert und geschmückt…“
Wir nehmen dies alles nicht wichtiger, als es genommen zu werden verdient, Soldatenliteratur, ein Stückchen Stolz über einer kleinen, bitteren Wahrheit, die mit jedem Toten, der vor einem Verhau liegt, allerdings wachsen wird. Wir starren ihnen nicht in die Gesichter nach Zeichen ihrer Erschöpfung, doch wir glauben an eine langsame, aber totale Umkehr der Dinge, an die Tatsache einer veränderten Sachlage, die sie zwingen wird, das Gepäck ihrer bisherigen Meinungen, den Zeitungsimport aus Übersee, gründlich zu revidieren.
Wir haben ihre Tanzplatten gefunden, Bilder ihrer Filmstars, zerknüllte Eintrittskarten aus Neuyorker Revuetheatern. Sie brachten unbekümmerte Broadway-Fröhlichkeit mit. In den Wäldern der Ardennen erhalten die Broadway-Melodien einen neuen Text und die Geschütze geben eine andere Musik. Der Hintergrund ist düster und unwirtlich, die Luft ist rauh und kalt, sie liegen in den Dörfern um Bastogne in Notquartieren, sie haben kein Licht und wenig Wasser, sie schlafen auf den Küchenböden, Mann um Mann, die armseligen Bauerndörfer bieten keinen Komfort, nur Unsauberkeit, Enge und Trostlosigkeit. Die Verwundeten, oft bei Kerzenlicht operiert, haben einen beschwerlichen Weg über überfüllte und vereiste Straßen. Die Kämpfenden selber liegen auf treten Feldern, frierend, klamm, starr im eisigen Dunst verhangener Tage.
Dies alles überschätzen wir nicht, und wir glauben jenem Gefangenen nicht unbedingt, der da sagt: „Ja, wenn wir die Verpflegung nicht hätten…“ Mit Konservenbüchsen bezahlt man solche Kriegsanstrengungen nicht, aber es kann sein, dass sie, um sie auszuhalten, von Tag zu Tag mehr brauchen an inneren Begründungen. Im Großen und Ganzen wissen die amerikanischen Soldaten, dass sie nach vorne gehen müssen, um zurückzukehren. Aber wie dunkel und wie beschwerlich dieser, Weg sein wird, wissen sie nicht, wenngleich sie beginnen, es zu ahnen. Er ist kein schlechter Soldat, wenngleich wir uns für den besseren halten, aber wir sehen, dass er durch eine große Bitterkeit geht, die er zu bestehen hat.
Im Schnee sehen wir einige Nordamerikaner liegen, und jener, der an ihnen mit erhobenen Händen vorbei in die Gefangenschaft lief, hatte keinen Blick dafür, jeder Traum war für ihn zu Ende, und es blieb nur in der Luft der Lärm, die Melodie der großen Schlacht.
H.R.
Führer HQ (January 20, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
In Ungarn durchbrachen Truppen des Heeres und der Waffen-SS stark ausgebaute bolschewistische Stellungen östlich des Plattensees und stießen bis an die Donau vor. Im Westteil von Budapest dauern die harten Abwehrkämpfe an. Zwischen der Donau und dem Gran wechselten erfolgreiche Angrille unserer Truppen mit feindlichen Gegenangriffen ab, die zerschlagen wurden.
In den Kämpfen im Raum von Stuhlweißenburg und nördlich der Donau haben die Bolschewisten außergewöhnliche Verluste an Menschen und Material erlitten. Vom 20. Dezember 1944 bis 15. Jänner 1945 wurden durch Verbände des Heeres, der Waffen-SS und der Luftwaffe 1.404 Panzer und Sturmgeschütze, 1.505 Geschütze, 1.762 Fahrzeuge, 179 Granatwerfer, fast 1.000 Maschinengewehre und zahlreiche sonstige Waffen vernichtet oder erbeutet und 253 Flugzeuge abgeschossen. Der Feind verlor außerdem 22.000 Tote, das Mehrfache an Verwundeten und 2.600 Gefangene.
Im südslowakischen Grenzgebiet wurden wiederholte Angriffe der Bolschewisten im Raum von Blauenstein-Malinec abgewiesen. Zwischen Kaschau und der Weichsel kam es während unserer Absetzbewegungen zu schweren Kämpfen mit nachdrängendem Feind.
Der Großkampf um den deutschen Ostraum hat gestern noch zugenommen. Krakau konnte der Feind nach schwersten Straßenkämpfen nehmen. Im oberschlesischen Grenzgebiet setzen unsere Truppen dem weiter nach Westen angreifenden Feind erbitterten Widerstand entgegen. Eingreifverbände, dabei auch Volkssturmbataillone, legten sich den sowjetischen Angriffsspitzen vor und verzögerten ihr weiteres Vordringen. Gegen einen bis in den Raum von Kempen vorgetriebenen feindlichen Angriffskeil sind Gegenangriffe im Gange. Nach heftigem Kampf fiel Litzmannstadt in die Hände der Bolschewisten. Zwischen Warthe und Weichsel haben feindliche Panzerspitzen die Linie Tonningen-Leslau erreicht. In der Tiefe des Schlachtfeldes stehen überall deutsche Kräfte in schweren Kämpfen mit der nachfolgenden feindlichen Infanterie, verhindern ein Aufschließen der bolschewistischen Verbände und unterbrechen die Versorgungsstraßen der Panzerspitzen des Gegners.
Im südlichen Grenzgebiet Ostpreußens toben heftige Kämpfe gegen die Bolschewisten, die trotz erbitterter Gegenwehr unserer Verbände Gilgenburg, Neidenburg und Chorzele erreichten. Die beiden Eckpfeiler des Einbruchsraumes westlich Plöhnen und westlich Scharfenwiese wurden gegen starken feindlichen Druck gehalten.
Im östlichen Grenzgebiet Ostpreußens wiesen unsere Truppen südlich Gumbinnen und am Ostrand der Stadt sämtliche feindliche Angriffe ab. Nordöstlich und nördlich Insterburg wurden Panzerangriffe der Sowjets abgeschlagen oder aufgefangen.
Verbände deutscher Schlacht- und Jagdflieger griffen die sowjetischen Panzerspitzen in den Schwerpunkten der Schlacht an und vernichteten zahlreiche Panzer und Fahrzeuge.
An der Westfront kam es gestern in keinem Abschnitt zum Großkampf. Unsere Verbände stehen südöstlich Maeseyck weiter in heftiger Abwehr gegen die dort angreifenden Engländer. Im Raum südöstlich Malmedy dauern die Kämpfe um geringfügige feindliche Einbrüche an. Die Besatzung von Diekirch wurde auf eine neue Stellung nördlich der Sauer zurückgenommen.
Bei Reipertsweiler scheiterten abermals die Versuche der Amerikaner, ihre eingeschlossenen Kräfte zu entsetzen. Ebenso blieben ihre Gegenangriffe bei Rittershofen im Elsass und bei Sesenheim unter Abschuss von zahlreichen Panzern erfolglos. Unser Angriff auf Weyersheim gewann den Ostraum des Ortes.
An der mittelitalienischen Front kam es auch gestern zu keinen größeren infanteristischen Kämpfen.
Die anglo-amerikanische Lufttätigkeit über dem Reich beschränkte sich gestern auf schwächere Einflüge auf das westliche und südwestliche Reichsgebiet. Die Sowjets warfen mit schwächeren Kräften Bomben auf frontnahe Orte im Osten.
London liegt weiter unter unserem Vergeltungsfeuer.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (January 20, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
201100A January
TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR
(2) NAVY DEPARTMENT
TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(3) TAC HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) MAIN 12 ARMY GP
(5) SHAEF AIR STAFF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) UNITED KINGDOM BASE
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM ZONE
(18) SHAEF REAR
(19) NEWS DIV. MINIFORM, LONDON
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 287
In Holland, northwest of Nijmegen, the enemy continued to attack allied forward positions in the area of Zetten, and made a slight local gain. The situation was later restored and fighting continues.
In the Sittard area, our forces continue to make progress. An enemy counter-attack at Schilberg, southeast of Echt, was beaten off and the village is in our hands. Over the German border, our units have occupied the villages of Schalbruch, Havert, Heilder, and have made gains beyond Höngen.
Southeast of Malmedy, we are clearing Schoppen and have advanced to a point more than two miles south of Ondenval against light resistance. Recht is in our hands and we have pushed on to a point one and one-half miles east of the town on the Ligneuville-St. Vith road.
East of Vielsalm, we are clearing the wooded area of the Grand-Bois and have reached a point just south of Poteau on the Vielsalm-St. Vith road. South of Vielsalm, our units are in Bovigny, and we have made gains in the area south of the town. Rettigny and Brisy northeast of Houffalize, have been occupied by our armored units and we have reached the high ground half a mile south of Rettigny against light resistance.
We have cleared Nocher southeast of Wiltz. Diekirch and Bettendorf, on the Sauer River, have been cleared, and we have reached points about one mile north of both towns.
In the Tettingen-Butzdorf area, southeast of Remich, our forces have repulsed numerous counterattacks by enemy tanks and infantry.
We repulsed strong enemy attacks in the Bitche Salient northeast of Reipertswiller without loss of ground.
At Hatten, following a lull, the enemy attempted again to break through our Maginot Line positions with a tank-supported assault from three directions, and again was turned back.
Enemy efforts to advance in his Rhine River bridgehead north of Strasbourg were also checked. Our forces reached Sessenheim in an attack but were unable to hold their gain and retired.
Weather curtailed air operations yesterday.
Targets northeast of St. Vith and south of Trier were bombed by small formations of fighter-bombers.
Other fighter-bombers, operating from Bitche to the south of Strasbourg attacked road and rail transport and communications and destroyed a number of fortified buildings.
A small number of fighter-bombers hit several locomotives near Münster.
COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S
THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/
Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others
ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section
NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA2409
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/U.S. Navy Department (January 20, 1945)
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 238
Army Liberators of the Strategic Air Force, Pacific Ocean Areas, encountered moderate anti-aircraft fire while bombing airstrips on Marcus Island on January 15 (West Longitude Date).
During a rainstorm on the night of January 17, two barges carrying about 64 enemy troops landed on Peleliu Island from neighboring Japanese-held bases in the Palaus. Forty-nine of the attackers were killed, two taken prisoners and the remainder surrounded by our forces. At last reports no damage had been caused to our installations.
Fighters of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing bombed installations on Urukthapel in the Palaus and struck at buildings and small craft at Merir and Sonsoral Islands southwest of the Palaus on January 17. On the following day Marine Corsairs sank a barge and a launch and struck a bridge on Babelthuap.
On January 18, Marine Torpedo planes bombed enemy installations on Yap in the western Carolines;
Liberators of the 11th Army Air Force bombed Kurabu Saki at the southern end of Paramushiru in the Kurils on January 19. Meager anti-aircraft fire was encountered.
Neutralizing raids on enemy‑held bases in the Marshalls were continued by planes of the 4th MarAirWing on January 16.
Inaugural Address by President Roosevelt
January 20, 1945, 12:00 p.m. EWT
Broadcast audio:
Mr. Chief Justice, Mr. Vice President, my friends:
You will understand and, I believe, agree with my wish that the form of this inauguration be simple and its words brief.
We Americans of today, together with our allies, are passing through a period of supreme test. It is a test of our courage – of our resolve – of our wisdom – of our essential democracy.
If we meet that test – successfully and honorably – we shall perform a service of historic importance which men and women and children will honor throughout all time.
As I stand here today, having taken the solemn oath of office in the presence of my fellow countrymen – in the presence of our God – I know that it is America’s purpose that we shall not fail.
In the days and the years that are to come, we shall work for a just and honorable peace, a durable peace, as today we work and fight for total victory in war.
We can and we will achieve such a peace.
We shall strive for perfection. We shall not achieve it immediately, but we still shall strive. We may make mistakes – but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principle.
I remember that my old schoolmaster, Dr. Peabody, said-in days that seemed to us then to be secure and untroubled, “Things in life will not always run smoothly. Sometimes we will be rising toward the heights – then all will seem to reverse itself and start downward. The great fact to remember is that the trend of civilization itself is forever upward; that a line drawn through the middle of the peaks and the valleys of the centuries always has an upward trend.”
Our Constitution of 1787 was not a perfect instrument; it is not perfect yet. But it provided a firm base upon which all manner of men, of all races and colors and creeds, could build our solid structure of democracy.
Today, in this year of war, 1945, we have learned lessons – at a fearful cost – and we shall profit by them.
We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own wellbeing is dependent on the wellbeing of other nations, far away. We have learned that we must live as men and not as ostriches, nor as dogs in the manger.
We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community.
We have learned the simple truth, as Emerson said, that, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
We can gain no lasting peace if we approach it with suspicion and mistrust – or with fear. We can gain it only if we proceed with the understanding and the confidence and the courage which flow from conviction.
The Almighty God has blessed our land in many ways. He has given our people stout hearts and strong arms with which to strike mighty blows for freedom and truth. He has given to our country a faith which has become the hope of all peoples in an anguished world.
So, we pray to Him now for the vision to see our way clearly to see the way that leads to a better life for ourselves and for all our fellow men – and to the achievement of His will to peace on earth.
The Pittsburgh Press (January 20, 1945)
Roosevelt takes fourth term oath
President warns we must approach peace without mistrust or fear
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer
Washington –
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, inaugurated today as President for the fourth term, warned that we shall have no lasting peace if we approach its commitments with suspicion, mistrust and fear.
He took the oath of his office on the South Portico of the White House instead of the East Capitol steps where inaugurations are traditionally held. Some 7,000 specially invited guests stood on the snow-sodden lawn below him.
Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone administered the oath a few minutes after noon. Just before Mr. Roosevelt was sworn, his 1944 running mate, Harry S. Truman, took the oath of office as Vice President. It was administered by Henry A. Wallace, who was chosen by Mr. Roosevelt as his campaign partner in 1940 but was discarded last year in favor of the Missourian.
Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Truman, their families and their closest political associates and friends were in the shelter of the South Portico.
The other card-holding, carefully-sifted guests stood down below, churning a two-inch snow into the White House turf. This was not the worst inauguration weather on record – the Taft affair in 1909 and Mr. Roosevelt’s 1937 ceremony were in a class by themselves.
For the President, this day was one of prayer. For him it began with family prayers at 10:00 a.m. EWT in the East Room of the White House. On each of his successive inaugurations, he has thus sought Divine guidance.
To the inaugural guests after the oath-taking, he said:
We pray now to Him for the vision to seek our way clearly – to see the way that leads to a better life for ourselves and for all our fellow men to the achievement of His will to peace on earth.
The cost of the war is a fearful cost, he told them, and from it we are learning our lesson. And he promised better days to come.
Diplomats, political figures of local and national importance, the Cabinet, the judiciary, the top figures of the armed services, a few campaign contributors were in the crowd of inauguration guests. They listened in chill and solemn silence as Mr. Roosevelt uttered his fourth inaugural address, a quickie of 540 words. He told them it was appropriate that this occasion be both simple and brief.
To the south, outside the White House fence and some hundred yards away, was the public. Loudspeakers carried the words but the public couldn’t see much nor distinguish who was who.
Mr. Roosevelt ended with a prayer for vision and peace on earth.
It was all over, the important parts, almost before the guests and fence peckers knew it had begun. While some few were still shuffling to their appointed places, Capt. William F. Santelmann flipped a baton and the U.S. Marine band hit “Hail to the Chief.”
The Rt. Rev. Angus Dun, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, delivered the invocation and the Rt. Rev. Msgr. John A. Ryan, director of the Social Action Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, uttered thre benediction.
That was all. The band hit up “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Inside the White House, servants were ready with coffee, cakes and chicken salad to give a dab of food and a lot of White House hospitality to 1,500 or more guests. A tea party was scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Presidential electors and party leaders will attend that.
There is a big party tonight, sponsored by the Thousand Club, each member of which anted up at least $1,000 toward Mr. Roosevelt’s campaign expenses. And there will be much lifting of glasses and celebrating on into the night.
This was Mr. Roosevelt’s first wartime inauguration and possibly the most solemn moment in his life, barring that blustery March day in 1933 when, aged 51, he stood on the East Capitol steps calm and unafraid with his first inaugural proclamation of a New Deal. Mr. Roosevelt will celebrate his 63rd birthday Jan. 30.
Precedents broken
Precedents and tradition have taken a licking since 1933. This fourth inaugural is no exception and is itself the biggest break in tradition of them all – the old tradition about two terms in the White House.
Mr. Roosevelt abruptly canceled Congressional plans to put on the customary Capitol inaugural circus. He announced that a $2,000 party would suit him and that he’d have it right in the backyard, handy to his office. He barred the public – the Secret Service was a factor in that.
The war and chances of early victory in Europe overshadow inaugural events. An uneasy public and disturbed officials look to the coming Big Three conference to reorient United Nations political actions and aspirations. They hope that causes of friction or suspicion among Washington, London and Moscow will be removed. They look to the central figure of today’s ceremony to come back from the conference with some plain and reassuring answers to some questions on a number of subjects – Poland, Germany, all of Europe.
Victory assured
Good news from the European and Pacific fronts made today a happier occasion than it might have been. Victory is assured. The question now is merely when. But there are grave problems of the peace to be considered by Mr. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin.
In 12 years since his first inaugural, Mr. Roosevelt has turned gradually from domestic reform to urgent matters of foreign affairs which culminated in war with Germany, Japan and some of their now-reeling satellites.
Makes, breaks leaders
Almost everything pertaining to his administration has been bigger or better or both than anything which went before. He has handed Republican candidates four successive and spectacular defeats at the polls.
He made radio a political instrument of incalculable significance in the United States – a trend which had its parallels throughout the world.
Seven of the nine justices of the Supreme Court were appointed by Mr. Roosevelt.
He has been able to make and break Congressional leaders almost at will.
He took the country off the gold standard, closed all the banks and assured the reopening of most of them, reorganized the executive branch of government and made it more powerful than either the legislative or judicial.
Faces 13th deficit
Mr. Roosevelt has never been able to run the government on tax revenue. He is budgeted now for his 13th successive Treasury deficit and directs a stupendous war spending program in which the figures involved are so large as to be almost improbable.
The daily spending rate for war purposes is averaging more than $290 million. The public debt, a matter of about $16 billion when Mr. Roosevelt took office, has grown to $233 billion and will hit at least $300 billion.
Defense and war spending from July 1, 1940, to Dec. 31, 1944, aggregated $244.5 billion.
Silent on No. 5
The President now is shooting at a high rolling post-war economy in which the government will collect and spend about $25 billion a year, including an annual sum, yet undetermined, for the orderly liquidation of the public debt.
Mr. Roosevelt undertakes his fourth term without any commitments for or against seeking a fifth. That was the situation, too, when he was sworn four years ago for No. 3.