Stars and Stripes Review: December 2, 1944

The front page of this issue of The Stars and Stripes, the US Army's daily newspaper,details the newest exploits of General George S. Patton's Third Army. The Third Army is battling in and around the Saar Basin, the land previously renewed to Germany before the war. German resistance seemed to be mounting the closer the Allies got to the German border. Further south, French troops were only ten miles from the German border, and near the Ruhr, the industrial heartland of Germany.

Other newsworthy articles in this issue include the testing of a new model of P-51 fighter, the most famous American fighter of the war, though not the most produced (that honor went to the Republic P-47). Also, there is an article warning American soldiers of German soldiers disguised as GIs. These were English-speaking Germans who would infiltrate Allied lines and sever communications, ambush supply columns, and gather intelligence prior to major Allied offensives. This led to GIs asking 'security questions', such as 'If Betty Grable walked out of the woods, what part of her body would you be looking at?', or 'Who scored the most home runs for the Dodgers last season?'. If the German gave the wrong answer, the GIs would know him to be an enemy.

There are also articles of propaganda against Germans, presumably intended for Germans who might capture an American with this paper. There is one column about how silly Hitler and Nazism really are, portraying the Fuhrer in a tantrum. Also, a series of pictures of German cities and the title 'Hitler has doomed these cities' send a clear message to the enlisted men of the German Army: that Germany has lost because of Hitler.

Besides articles relating to the war, there are also features talking about domestic issues. There is a mention of the death of the Secretary of the Interior under Harding who participated in the Teapot Dome Scandal. Also, there is an article about the upcoming Army-Navy game in Baltimore. Finally, there is a Li'l Abner comic strip, showing hi jinks worthy of Wile E. Coyote himself.

This feature, and others like it, will act as a supplement to my other articles as period coverage. Until next time, take care, and thank you.