NEXT ALLIED LEAP IN PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 6

NEXT ALLIED LEAP IN PACIFIC

Landing In Dutch Indies (Received May 22, 12.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 21. Military observers believe that after Lie capture of Wakde Island the Allies will be ready to invade Halmaliera, in the Dutch East Indies, the last major land barirer to the back door of the Philippines, says the United Press- Wakde Island provides an excellent air base fot this. Halmaliera is regarded as the mos„ strategically-located of all the Japaneseheld islands in the South-west 1 “tihc. and military analysts expect the Japan ese will put up a more determined fight to retain it than any of the bases which are at present under attack. ine ., A J' lied operation will therefore necessitate the greatest concentration of' amphibious forces yet collected in the Pacific. “The broad strategy in the I aeific aims at isolating the Japanese in .the Dutch East Indies by a drive straight across the Central Pacific to the shores ot China,” said Vice-Admiral John Greenslade in a speech at San Francisco. ‘ General MacArthur will continue westward along the fringe of the Dutch possessions. Meanwhile Admiral Nimitz will drive straight across the Pacific and eventually, without the immediate necessity of clearing the Dutch Las. Indies, we may be able to support the Chinese effort by direct contact on the eastern Asiatic mainland. . Once. ashore in China the Allies will join with the Chinese in the concluding phase of tu= mainland operations,. while our fleets close in to impose an inpenetrable blockade of Japan” __