Certainty in five weeks
That is period fixed in capital and President is said to base plans on it
By Arthur Krock
Washington – (June 6)
Members of the government were advised this forenoon that the invasion to liberate Europe was keeping exact pace with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s timetable. They were informed that, up to the moment of this report, men, ships, aircraft and supplies had reached the destinations planned for them to reach today and at the time appointed.
In the late afternoon, the relation of the invasion to the timetable was said to be unchanged.
But only a very few high officials were given, with any exactitude, an idea of how long the military and naval commanders believe will be required before the operation under Gen. Eisenhower can be set down as an unqualified success, a general success, a moderate success, a stalemate or a defeat. This period was placed at a maximum of five weeks from June 6, or about July 11. The President, it is understood, is basing his summer plans on this calculation. Where he will go and when, and in some degree what he will do (including possible conferences abroad), will be governed by the progress of the invasion in these five weeks and its final outcome.
Air battles are expected
A military authority explained today that the lapse of time was fixed conservatively and that unforeseen events may reduce. But probably will not extend, it. He said the period will probably include one or more great air battles in which the Luftwaffe will still be able to give an account of itself. If it is virtually destroyed in one battle, since replacement facilities are believed to be inadequate, that will shorten the time. If two battles are required, the decision will be retarded that much.
He said further that the Germans can be expected to put great weight behind delaying actions until they have had to assemble as much manpower and supply as they can from their eastern and southern fronts in preparation for the great infantry and artillery battle which most authorities think will have to be fought before the road to Berlin is opened. During that time, the problem of the Allies will be to maintain and increase strength and broaden their lines of supply which, being by water, are subject to more obstacles from nature than the Germans will encounter over land.
Too early to celebrate
For these reasons and others, five weeks has been set as the period that must be passed before definite conclusions can be reached. High government officials, to whom with the President this calculation has been imparted, trust that the public will not be led by hope or native optimism to expect quick and crushing victory and the same low percentage of losses the Allies had on the first day. One of these said today that it is not yet the time to celebrate the toss harts in the air. This, he remarked, is not Armistice Day, though some people are behaving as if it was.
In the proving period of five weeks, the Republican National Convention will have met and adjourned, but there will still be nine days before the opening of the Democratic Party gathering. Thus, if the final decision does not come much more quickly, its outcome will be in doubt while the Republicans deliberate and after they have nominated their candidates for President and Vice President and adopted a platform. But the Democrats and all involved in their convention will be able to reach their conclusions (as to candidacy and otherwise) after the event.