A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 4

A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

A Decisive Battle? NAVAL FORCES IN SOLOMONS

It would appear that the real battle for the Solomon Islands has now begun and the expected large naval clash is in progress. Details are, of course, only meagre at the time of writing, but the presence of two aircraft-carriers on the enemy -side and one on the United Nations’ side Is already revealed. The operations in the South and South-west Pacific are proving costly to both sides. In the Coral Sea action the Japanese Navy suffered severe losses, and the United (States Navy less severe loss, but this would seem to have been equalized by the heavy losses incurred by the United Nations in the Solomons operations to date. Oue aircraft-carrier (the Wasp), four cruisers, and some destroyers and transports sunk were among the earlier losses, and to these must be added the destroyer lost and the aircraft-carrier damaged in the current engagement. Japan has had considerable damage and loss in the interim between the Coral Sea action and the new engagement. There was the defeat in the Battle of Midway. Also the continued and incessant attack of United Nations’ aircraft, both from the Solomons and Australia, has inflicted heavy damage on Japanese naval units appearing within their reach. Trend Of Strategy Following the fail of the Netherlands East Indies it first appeared that the Japanese intentions might lead to an attack’on Australia, and Australia was consequently organized first for defence and later as the offensive base for the drive to roll back the wave of Japanese conquest. With the success of the United Nations’ attack on the Solomons, however, it would appear that those islands and nbt Australia have become the keypoint of South Pacific operations for both opponents. Their tenure by the United Nations provides a natural base'for operations against the main Japanese bases at Rabaul and .further north, while in Japanese hands they would be a useful stepping stone to New Caledonia, Fiji, and New Zealand. Thus the battle which would now appear to be under way is fraught with great possibilities for either side. Defeat for the United Nations would mean the endangering of their South Pacific communications, with increased threat to New Zealand and Australia. Defeat for the Japanese might entail the loss of keypoints in their built-up line of defence round their new conquests, for which they still want much time for consolidation. The battle will have greater possibilities than just strategic, however, for large fleet units must be operating within close proximity of shore-based aircraft, with all the resulting (lungers. The early reports of the battle suggest that this lias already had its effect, with two enemy aircraft-carriers damaged to offset the damage to the United States aircraft-carrier and the loss of the destroyer. Both in the United Nations’ strongholds of the South Pacific and among their allies and wellwishers throughout, the world, the passage of events in the Solomons area will be watched with great intent and hope. The decision of the present tenure of the strategic prize seems at hand.