European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1945, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A i want to less in 224 Billy new paper of in the theater Sperati on Parle ii Pleura eel Plura it will March 1945 3rd races 60 to Rhine Battle received along nazis crossing admitted marshal Gregory Zhukov red army forces opened the Battle for Berlin unleashing a powerful Offen Sive of their Oder River line and driving beyond it Tjo within 31 Miles of the German the nazis combat drama in the heart of Cologne the German Tran Ocean that Zhukov which had teen building up strength in the Berlin bulge for making Strong attacks at Northeast of Ber their closest approach to tace soviet troops in the Kustrin sector were 35 mile due East of Tran Ocean they were reported lighting live Miles West of the1 near the town Kie Zand main Railroad running straight into russian troops also fought their River and established Bridgehead at 36 Berlin and about five of German report Stalin made no mention of fighting on the Central front in the Day issued Yei orders reported important advances by Khu Kovs Northern a soviet drive in a plaid to within 26 Miles of and successes in czech Oslo Berlin drive reported a soviet dispatch i to the newspaper Izvestia reported that our troops Are now moving on to Berlin after breaking into German defences on the Western Side of a River which not clarifies French mix up on Parley bid i by the United press Washington March state department today gave its version events leading to Frances refusal to join in sponsoring the United nations Security conference at san Francisco late next Tho departments account not Only denied thai the can be i iced accountable for the French but made Plain the fact official circles Here Are irritated by French suggestions that this coun try is responsible for ruffled rela ions Between the government of Charles de Gaulle and he big the departments statement was its comment on diplomatic aggravations which arose after France was excluded from the Bier Crimea conference and de Gaulle refused to meet m to take soviet dispatch said that Zhukov was carried out in the area of on the East Bank of 40 the russians have held Bridgehead continued on Page 8 three president Roosevelt at the silence was apparently in an Effort to minimize concern Over a bad matter by not talking about France has agreed to participate n the san Francisco but declines to participate As an inviting Power because certain conditions were not met by fhe coif nud on Page 5 colonel freed in mercy killing hopelessly trapped flier March 7 a at an american for who fired two mercy the head of a flier pred in a wrecked plane today stood voluntary Man court martial of seven to Dawn from the 14th associated service Organ med the verdict after witnesses piece to soul searing was a 31yearold commander of Veteran of 80 air ranking officer at the victim was a 20 it gunner in a b25 Crew members of the Iber were killed in the occurred 18 when overshot a runway on worn a Mission against were in the flight Copilot in the top Copilot was killed in his chair and the Pilot was seriously both were re moved As flames spread through the the wreckage trapped the ser Geant and physicians were unable to get into position to amputate his rescuers tried to pull the trapped body Loose from his crushed but did not have the All Hope of Rescue had been Given witnesses when the lieutenant standing off about 15 Fireck twice at the sergeants the defense John of Kansas rather base the Case on the Contention that the shooting was an act of brought out Tes Timony intended to show that the defendant had acted irrationally under emotional the main pillar of the defense Wai medical testimony Tettat the condition of the victims when i finally was left reasonable doubt that the sergeant and died from bullets rather than from Iri photo a Riordan with colognes 1 unions Cathedral looming beyond wrecked first army medics race cautiously a Torii v debris packed Street to administer Aid to stricken tank men of the third armoured moments before this picture was in american tank Arrow was knocked out by a direct hit from a German other Cologne Battle picture son Paje ancient Cologne is by de Clark stain and staff writer March Doug feet and tankers who took this town last night won a great they captured Germany fourth largest City in less than two they also won Possession of one of the worlds greatest monuments to modern struck time and again by Allied bombs and finally powdered by Brief flurries of and German artillery and tank this one time roman for All prac tical no longer in the Days and weeks to what War did to Cologne will be described in thousands of words and hundreds of its rubble and devastation will bring Many some will say that it is worst than some will mention still others of its simpler to describe whal re first of there is the famous twins ired gothic the which stands the heart of the inner div just West of the gouged and but essentially still standing therein the relatively modern residential Sre Tiou of the which arcs around there Are Many houses and Small shops which soon will habitable again after a Little window Woric and a there Are also Many continued on Page s first army two Miles from Bonn bulletin the third army fourth armoured division yesterday reached the Rhine River at a Point North of s and s correspondent Pat Mitchell reported from Gen George Pat tons Headquarters that fourth tanks reached the River at 1745 hours after a 60mile dash in 58 the first with Cologne firmly in its and the third exploiting its Kyll River yesterday marked the ninth anniversary f the unopposed German militarization of the Rhine and with powerful drives toward two important and historical cities of the Rhine about Sot Niles according to s and s Cor respondent Dan Regan with the first doughboy of the ninth last night were within two Oil famous University City and Birthplace of which had a prewar Popula Tion of to the armoured of third army were reported by s and s correspondent Pat Only a dozen Miles from Coblenz and the Rhine the fourth made advances of More than ten Miles As it spearheaded the another Patton tank drive jumped off at noon today and roared 11 and one halt Miles in the first five and on half hours reaching the Vicinity of Kelberg this 3 cond breakthrough Brough Lith tanks within two of elements of the fourth indications that the German forces facing the first army Southern flank May be collapsing resumed in a censorship Blanket Over the names of units and continued on Page Admiral King orders 84 More warships March 7 Admiral Ernest j King has ordered construction of 84 Addi Lonal totalling for delivery these Are the 283 combatant presen Invy and include Jarge Small heavy and Light do trayers d