[Homer_J_Simpson]

Horthy Makes Bid (MacCormac) – 2-3
Antwerp Gate Hit – 3-4
Direct Antwerp Attack Due on Antwerp Gates (Currivan) – 4
100 Guns Repulse Germans’ Attack – 5
Death of Rommel Revealed by Nazis – 5-6
Two Giant Invasion Harbors Towed to France from England (Baldwin) – 6
Italian Campaign Lags by a Month – 6-7
Russians Capture Petsamo in North Finland Campaign – 7
Bombers Again Rip Duisburg, Cologne – 8
U.S. Ships Attacked (Horne) – 8-9
A United States Navy Task Force Moves In to Attack Japanese in the Philippines (photos) – 10-11
Losses in Pacific Loom (Baldwin) – 13
War News Summarized – 13
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the Fighting in Various War Zones – 14-16

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/oct44/16oct44.htm#

Red Army captures Nis
Monday, October 16, 1944 www.onwar.com

On the Eastern Front... In Yugoslavia, Soviet forces capture Nis after being evacuated by German forces. Bulgarian and Yugoslavian forces are assisting Soviet forces.

In Budapest... There is an announcement that the recent Hungarian request for an armistice is void. Admiral Horthy resigns and is taken to Germany. Ferenc Szalasy becomes regent and prime minister.

On the Western Front... Around Aachen, troops of the US 19th and 8th Corps (elements of US 1st Army) link up to the east of the city, completing its encirclement. Farther south, the US 6th Corps (part of US 7th Army) encounters heavy German resistance around Bruyeres on the Moselle River. To the south, the French 1st Army begins new attacks.

In Greece... British forces land on the island of Lemnos.

In the Philippines... Land-based aircraft of US 13th and 5th Air Forces, from Biak, Sansapor and Morotai, attack targets on Mindanao. US Task Group 77.4 (Admiral TF Sprague), with 18 escort carriers, launches air strikes on Leyte, Cebu and Mindanao.

[abb]

http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=116

On 13 Oct, “Black Friday”, the Canadian 5th Infantry Brigade’s Black Watch Battalion faced especially tough German counterattack and was nearly wiped out completely. After ten days of fighting, on 16 October 1944 they took Woensdrecht, a town critical in the capture of the isthmus. Two weeks later, a combination of land and amphibious maneuvers attacked German positions at the isthmus. After another week of intense fighting, Canadian troops secured the eastern portion of the isthmus on 24 Oct. South Beveland was secured by the end of the month after the Operation Vitality offensive.

[PapaNew]

(At page 5, Column 3 under "Death of Rommel"): "He is reported to have fought with Field Marshall Gen. Karl von Runstedt over the best means of combating the Allies after the beachheads were established. Rommel held out for attacking the Allies on the beaches and attempting to throw them back into the sea, but von Rundstedt's view won out.

Providential answer to prayer here, I think. I can't image why the Germans did not do exactly as Rommel wanted.

I think this argument is portrayed in the movie, "Patton", but instead, the movie showed Rommel arguing with General Alfred Jodl. In the movie, the exchange went something like,

(Jodl): "No, the main landing will be in Calais, where Patton is."

(Rommel, looking disgusted): "You seem perfectly willing to believe this nonsense. Why?"

(Jodl): "Because I am not prepared to dispute the Fuehrer.

[PapaNew]

(At page 5, Column 4 under "Death of Rommel"): [After WWII] "He tried to borrow steerage passage to the United States from a friend, who dissuaded him and helped him get a job on the police force."

Wow. Rommel came close to being on our side in WWII. What a wonderful American tank-commanding general he would have been. He would have also joined the Monty vs. Patton fracas but I've gotta believe he and Patton together probably would have shortened the war.

[PapaNew]

(At page 6, Column 1 under "Death of Rommel"): [Rommel] "Took Charge in Libya...Twenty days later, on Oct. 23, 1942, the British Eight Army began the drive which was to last through twelve critical days and finally result in Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery's driving the Afrika Korps from Egypt with sledge-hammer blows."

I joined this thread after this part of things, so I didn't get to see any of the insights and analysis about this. I'd really like to know how Monty did this. Got a link to the best maps and explanation for how a guy like Monty could rout a guy like Rommel?

[PapaNew]

(Referring to NYT 10/16/44 page 5 “Death of Rommel” + NYT 10/14/44 thread, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3214867/posts post #4):

Somebody should tell Bill O’Reilly to do a book on killing Rommel (I see he’s just come out with a new one, “Killing Patton”).

[PapaNew]

Dang man, the guy on page 12 NYT looks like Captain America.

[henkster]

Official damage report for USS Canberra:

http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/WarDamageReports/WarDamageReportCA70/WarDamageReportCA70.html

Official damage report for USS Houston:

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/wardamagereportno53.htm

I'll repost tomorrow.

[Squawk 8888]

To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.

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