STAGGERING BLOWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 65, 15 June 1942, Page 4

STAGGERING BLOWS

THE release by Washington of the official report of the Coral Sea naval battle which occurred over a month ago in mid-Pacific waters, shows very clearly the depth of infamy to which the Japanese radioed propaganda can sink. Twenty ships, half of which were units of the Imperial Japanese navy were-, sunk or damaged with the estimated loss of over 10,000 men. All this for the return score of the aircraftcarrier Lexington, two small naval craft and a handful of 'planes, suffered by the American forces. Since the official announcement we have been informed that the full report of the Midway Island engagement will also be released this week. Mr Walter Nash, our own envoy to Washington to whom the fullest available information was given, at the President's Conference, has briefly described the outcome as ''the best news yet." From this we may reasonably assume that the losses sustained by the enemy actually exceeded those suffered in the Coral Sea. If this is so the Nipponese naval might must have been seriously impaired but as Mac Arthur warns Australians, the twin successes must not be allowed, to create a sense of false security.