Innsbrucker Nachrichten (March 19, 1945)
Nackte Machtpolitik
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Zu den von Japan getroffenen Maßnahmen in Indochina
Die französischen Behörden konspirierten mit dem Feind
Von unserem Pekinger Lü.-Berichterstatter
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Kärntner Volkszeitung (March 19, 1945)
‚Kampf bis aufs Messer!‘
Wettrennen um die Konferenz von San Franzisco
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Führer HQ (March 19, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
An der Drau und im Kaum zwischen Plattensee und Donau stehen deutsche und ungarische Truppen in erbittertem Abwehrkampf, der gestern auch auf den Frontbogen östlich des Sárvizkanals Übergriff. Während die Durchbruchsversuche der Bolschewisten südlich des Velencesees im Abwehrfeuer zusammenbrachen, sind nordwestlich Stuhlweißenburg und im Vértesgebirge heftige Kämpfe mit starken feindlichen Angriffsgruppen im Gange. Herangeführte Kräfte warfen sich den Sowjets entgegen und fingen ihre Angriffsspitzen am Ostrand des Bakonywaldes und an den Ausgängen des Vértesgebirges nördlich Mor auf.
Unsere seit Wochen in harten Waldkämpfen bewährten Jäger und Grenadiere zerschlugen in der mittleren Slowakei wiederum alle feindlichen Angriffe, größtenteils noch vor ihren Stützpunkten.
In Oberschlesien konnte der Gegner mit schnellen Verbänden trotz erneuten Verlustes von 38 Panzern weiter gegen den Raum von Neustadt Vordringen. Eigene Kampfgruppen verhinderten beiderseits Leobschütz und Neiße den feindlichen Durchbruch nach Westen und stießen in wuchtigen Gegenangriffen in die Flanken der sowjetischen Panzerkeile.
Breslau und G1ogau werden in vorbildlicher Gemeinschaft von kämpfender Truppe, Volkssturm und ziviler Verwaltung gegen anhaltend starken feindlichen Druck verteidigt. An der Lausitzer Neiße blieben verstärkte Aufklärungsvorstöße der Bolschewisten ohne Erfolg.
Die Besatzung des Brückenkopfes Stettin hielt auch gestern den unter hohem Munitionsaufwand geführten Angriffen von drei Sowjetarmeen stand und vernichtete 32 feindliche Panzer.
An der Ostküste des großen Haffs wurden durch Kampffähren der Kriegsmarine ein Brennstofflager vernichtet und Truppenansammlungen sowie Munitionslager schwer getroffen.
In der Doppelschlacht an der Danziger Bucht setzte der Feind seinen Großangriff gegen den West- und Südwestteil des Verteidigungsgürtels um Gotenhaien und Danzig sowie gegen die Südostfront mit insgesamt zehn Armeen fort. Unsere tapferen Divisionen verteidigten jeden Fußbreit Boden, führen immer wieder entschlossene Gegenstöße und verhinderten den erstrebten Durchbruch der Sowjets ohne wesentlichen Geländeverlust. Seestreitkräfte griffen mit guter Wirkung in die Kämpfe westlich Gotenhafen und südwestlich Königsberg ein.
In den Brennpunkten der Abwehrschlacht in Kurland zerbrach auch gestern der feindliche Ansturm an unserer standhaften Abwehr. Die Bolschewisten hatten hohe blutige Ausfälle und verloren 92 Panzer in zwei Kampftagen.
In Luftkämpfen und durch Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe wurden gestern an der Ostfront 45 sowjetische Flugzeuge abgeschossen.
Am Niederrhein bekämpfte unsere Artillerie Bereitstellungen von Brückengerät und Pontons.
Die Amerikaner versuchten auch gestern den Brückenkopf Remagen vor allem durch starke Angriffe gegen unsere nördliche und westliche Abschirmungsfront zu erweitern. Gegen erbitterten Widerstand unserer Truppen konnte der Feind nur einige Einbrüche an der Autobahn östlich und nordöstlich Honnef erzwingen.
Am mittleren und oberen Lauf der Nahe sind heftige Gefechte um die Flussübergänge entbrannt. Bad Kreuznach ging nach erbittertem Ringen verloren. Zwischen Kusel und Saarlautern widersetzten sich unsere Truppen dem starken, gegen die nordwestliche Rheinpfalz gerichteten Druck des Feindes. Die gleichzeitigen Durchbruchsversuche der Amerikaner zwischen Saarbrücken und Zweibrücken fingen sich im Bunkerfeld des Westwalls.
In Mittelitalien wehrten unsere Truppen feindliche Vorstöße in den Bergen westlich Vergato und in der Romagna, beiderseits Cotignola, in harten Nahkämpfen ab.
Die Reichshauptstadt war gestern das Ziel eines Terrorangriffs starker amerikanischer Verbände. Durch Angriffe britischer Kampfflugzeuge in der Nacht wurden neben Orten im Ruhrgebiet besonders Hanau getroffen. Der Feind verlor nach bisherigen Meldungen 36 meist viermotorige Bomber.
Im Verband der auf den Brückenkopf Dievenow durchgebrochenen Kräftegruppe hat das Fahnenjunkerregiment der Artillerieschule 4 unter Führung von Major Buchenau in beispielhaftem Angriffsschwung mehrere starke Sperrriegel des Feindes durchbrochen und an entscheidender Stelle den sowjetischen Einschließungsring gesprengt.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (March 19, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
191100A March
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) 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) SHAEF MAIN
(20) PRO, ROME
(21) HQ SIXTH ARMY GP
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 345
UNCLASSIFIED: Allied forces in the Rhine bridgehead pushed north to the outskirts of Niederdollendorf and east, against intense, heavy caliber enemy artillery fire, to high ground one mile north of Brüngsberg. Other elements crossed the autobahn to reach the outskirts of Windhagen. We now control six miles of the highway.
East of Lorscheid, in the central sector of the bridgehead, our forces crossed the Wied River. In the southern sector we have taken high ground four miles east of Hönningen. The bridgehead is 15 miles long by nearly eight miles deep.
The railroad bridge at Remagen has collapsed into the Rhine. In the Moselle-Rhine sector, street fighting continues in Koblenz. South of the city we have cleared Rhens and captured Brey and Boppard. Our units control the west bank of the Rhine for a stretch of 17 miles from Boppard to a point six miles northwest of Bingen. We entered Bingen after an advance of seven miles.
Farther to the south, our armored elements are mopping up in Bad Kreuznach after dispersing a counterattack in the vicinity of the city. Other units entered Bad Sobernheim, southwest of Bad Kreuznach. A number of towns have been taken in the Simmern-Bad Kreuznach area. Southwest of Simmern our units cleared Kirchberg, Rhaunen and Wickenrode; entered Kellenbach and pushed on to the vicinity of Bergen.
East of Trier we cleared Beuren and Rascheid. Merzig, on the Saar River, is in our hands and to the south we have entered Beckingen and Dillingen. In the area northeast and east of Merzig we cleared Krettnich and captured Aussen and Hüttersdorf. Between Saarbrücken and the Hardt Mountains our advance was slowed by stiffening resistance from the outer Siegfried Line defenses.
In the Hardt Mountain area gains of up to eight miles were made. Sturzelbronn, near the frontier and Ludwigswinkel, across the border in Germany, were cleared. Farther east Wingen and several nearby towns were liberated. Rapid advances were made in the Alsace plain north of the Haguenau Forest where the enemy appeared to be in full retreat. Sulz, a communication center, was reached.
Farther east, we drove to the Maginot Line at Rittershoffen and Hatten. Along the Rhine River we continued to make progress. Forstfeld and Beinheim were taken.
Allied forces in the west captured 5,146 prisoners 17 March.
Military targets in the Berlin area including the Schlesischer and north railyards and stations; the Rheinmetal Armament Plant at Tegel and the Borsig Locomotive Works at Hennigsdorf were heavily attacked by escorted heavy bombers in very great strength. A benzol plant north of Hattingen and another east of Bochum were bombed by other escorted heavy bombers. The attack on the enemy’s communications was continued.
Rail lines in Holland and north of the Ruhr; a rail bridge southeast of Utrecht; railyards at Bocholt and near Haltern, and the rail center of Borken were struck at by medium, light and fighter bombers. Railyards near Dortmund, at Kreuztal, north of Siegen and at Wetzlar; rail traffic in the Ruhr and near Giessen, Marburg and Würzburg were attacked by other medium, light and fighter-bombers. Farther to the south, rail and road traffic and other communications targets in the area from Mainz to Sankt Wendel and southeast to Karlsruhe were under heavy attack by medium, light and fighter bombers.
Included among the targets were large concentrations of motor and horse-drawn vehicles at Mainz and Sankt Wendel; a rail bridge at Weidenthal, east of Kaiserslautern; road junctions and railyards at Bad Dürkheim and railyards at Worms, Neustadt and Landau.
A large enemy troops concentration at Fischbach, southeast of Pirmasens was attacked by fighter-bombers. During the day a large number of rail cars, locomotives and motor vehicles were destroyed and rail lines were cut in many places.
Last night, the communications centers of Witten, southeast of Bochum; and Hanau, east of Frankfurt, were attacked by heavy bombers in strength.
Targets in Berlin and enemy movements over a wide area of Germany were attacked by light bombers.
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 FA4655
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/
U.S. Navy Department (March 19, 1945)
Communiqué No. 585
Pacific Area.
U.S. submarines operating in Far Eastern waters have sunk 15 enemy vessels, including two escort vessels and three destroyers. The vessels sunk were:
- 3 destroyers
- 2 escort vessels
- 1 large tanker
- 1 large cargo transport
- 6 medium cargo vessels
- 1 medium transport
- 1 small cargo vessel
These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.
CINCPOA Communiqué No. 304
Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet continued their attacks on Japan on March 19 (East Longitude Date). They attacked Kobe Kure and other objectives in and around the Inland Sea.
The Marines on Iwo Island continued to search out snipers and isolated remnants of the enemy garrison on March 19.
On the same date Army fighters from Iwo bombed and strafed the airfield and radio stations on Chichi Jima in the Bonins.
Army Liberators of the Strategic Air Force bombed targets on Chichi Jima and Haha Jima on March 18. One enemy fighter was observed in the air at Chichi.
A single Navy search Ventura of Fleet Air Wing Four made rocket attacks on small craft and buildings in the Torishima group southeast of Paramushiru on March 18. On the same date, Liberators of the 11th Army Air Force bombed Matsuwa in the Kurils without opposition.
A Navy search Privateer of FlAirWing One sank a lugger and four small craft in the anchorage at Truk in the Carolines on March 19.
Fighters, torpedo planes and dive bombers of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing struck piers, runways, buildings, and radio installations on Yap in the Western Carolines on March 19.
On the same date, Marine aircraft carried out attacks on enemy‑held islands in the Palaus.
Fourth MarAirWing planes continued neutralizing attacks on enemy bases in the Marshalls.
The Pittsburgh Press (March 19, 1945)
JAPAN BLASTED BY 1,700 PLANES
Carrier attack in second day, Tokyo reports
Superfortresses join in with raid on Nagoya
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Traffic strain wrecks Yanks’ Rhine bridge
But supplies roll over pontoon span
By John B. McDermott, United Press staff writer
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Patton has confident grin as tanks roll into Saar
Broad flatlands of Palatinate excellent country for testing general’s theories
By Boyd Lewis, United Press staff writer
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Japs to draft children over 7 years old for work in war plants
All schools except first grade to be closed to bolster air defenses and arms production
By the United Press
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15 Jap ships sunk by U.S. subs
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11-ton bombs hit Reich – fearful devastation in Berlin
Large section of capital’s war industries burned – thousands of casualties reported
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LaGuardia extends curfew one hour in New York
Majority keeps open until 1 a.m. but some await official reaction in Washington
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Pfc. Louis C. Zelis of Illinois
I DARE SAY —
Have a heart
By Florence Fisher Parry
Mother’s Day is already in the air. The merchants are busy with their plans. I should like to put in an early plea that this year Mother will be represented to us as she really is, instead of the Whistler’s Mother type.
Just why the popular American concept of the Mother to whom we do honor on Mother’s Day should be only the Mother silver haired and seventy-ish, owes its origin, no doubt, to the fact that, the world being a young man’s world, most of those engaged in promoting Mother’s Day are young men and women in the various advertising departments and publications where the selection of a typical Mother is made.
And, to all young people, alas, anyone over 50 is practically senile. It would come to me as a shock to be described as aged. To me, my own Mother isn’t aged. Yet every newspaper or magazine which one picks up, uses this distressing adjective in describing anyone over sixty.
Even Ibn Saud had to endure the following description by a Newsweek reporter: “The King of Saudi Arabia regarded Randolph through age-bleared eyes.” Now poor King Ibn Saud is only 65 years old, and, from what I can gather indirectly from the discreet press, prides himself on his manly vigor.
One age
Yes, it’s high time for reform. These young upstarts who would relegate all their seniors to senility are simply behind the times. Don’t they look at the styles? Don’t they observe the coiffeurs and the hats of women over 50, many of whom are grandmothers?
Just yesterday I was commissioned to buy a hat for my own Mother, I just wish you could see my purchase. It looks jaunty on me; it would look smart on my daughter; yet I can assure you that it is completely appropriate for my Mother.
Most women my age, whose mothers are still with them, and who wear the same size of dress or hat or shoe, know how prevalent is the practice of borrowing each other’s clothes, hats, even makeup. This doesn’t mean that old women look out of character in their smart toilets – as one grows older one dresses just a little more quietly, uses less and less makeup, selects more subdued colors. But for this slight concession, all women over 35 or 40 dress very much the same.
What this emancipation from old age has meant to us is beyond my power to tell. When I “think back” to how things were in the days of my grandmothers, how they were consigned to a bleak, dreary old age when they were still young and vigorous and handsome, it seems to me to have been a veritable cruelty that women were allowed to lose their right to youth so early.
Yet, however briefly enjoyed, what a gorgeous day was my mother’s age, to be sure, how befrilled and beflowered and beplumed. Indeed the advance styles im our millinery today are direct copies of the hats that were worn by our mothers when they were young women in the early 1900s.
The newest hats
Mary Martin, when she was here in One Touch of Venus, showed me her two newest hats, and they were the exact replicas of hats I remember my mother wearing when I was a little girl. They were made of maline wrapped ‘round and ‘round and pled high in a soft formless kind of watermelon-shaped hat – no crown, no rim, just a great cloud of chiffon! The hats were set high on top of the head and were garlanded with flowers.
The one hat Mary showed me measured 10 inches high, and on the high gathered red curls of Mary Martin looked ravishingly quaint. It was the first of the new trend in 1946 hats. Yet yesterday, searching for a spring hat, I found that they were indeed returning to that lovely elaborate style of long ago.
How beautiful and feminine and gay looked the lovely young girls who were trying them on! As they walked from mirror to mirror, preening themselves, it was as though they were carrying on top of their heads glorified baskets of flowers.
Now the next thing, I hope, will be willow plumes, and what a day that will be!