SEA WAR IN PACIFIC

Evening Star, Issue 24285, 28 August 1942, Page 3

SEA WAR IN PACIFIC

ALLIES' POSITION NOW STRONGER ADVANTAGE OF LAND-BASED PLANES (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY. Aug. 2V. A major sot-back for the Japanese navy within the next few days could reduce enemy sea power to a point where it might not again be able to challenge the American fleet, whose strength is rapidly increasing. This is the opinion among Australian observers, but the London report that Japan has already lost naval supremacy in the South-west Pacific is regarded as premature. The pictures of the fighting are far from complete, but American naval communiques are known to be ultraconservative, and the latest statement that “ the results of the fight so far are encouraging ” is accepted as giving good grounds for optimism. American observers report that the sea and air battle is apparently raging with increased fury in spite of the withdrawal of one Japanese force. Heavy enemy units are thought to be still in the battle, which so far has served to confirm again the superiority of land-based aircraft in such operations. This advantage lies strongly with the Allies. Aerial forces alone were used in the battle up till Monday except for one destroyer attack against shore targets. Observers believe, however, that the Japanese fleet may now come to close grips with the American fleet for the first time since the Pacific war began. It is pointed out that Japan needs desnerately to regain the initiative, and she is thus likely to accept the issue sought and provoked by the - Allies before American consolidation in the southern Solomons is completed. Once the Allies have established numbers of airfields in the area, Japan's chances of retaking the islands will have dwindled- to vanishing point. The American forces in the Solomons are stated to be using divebombers and Avenger torpedo bombers against Japanese ships. American predictions are that the enemy losses will at least equal those in the Midway battle.

Mr Arthur Hale, a radio news analyst, says the Allies have _ regained Pacific naval superiority which they lost at Pearl Harbour. He adds: “ But before we can say the Pacific is ours we must smash the Japanese fleet in its home waters.”

The opinion held here that Japan still has great strength in the Southwest Pacific is sharply underlined by the latest enemy New Guinea landing. “ We should not believe that the powerful and persistent enemy will tamely allow reverses in the Solomons to discourage him from further adventures in the South Seas,” says, a Sydney ‘ Sun ’ leader. “He still has his forward bases in the archipelago and on New Guinea itself. The latest landing proves his intention to increase thennumber so as to encircle our one outpost in this region—Port Moresby.” Pointing out that the enemy can speedily and powerfully reinforce his sea. air. and land forces from bases in the Marshall and Caroline Islands, the ‘Sun’ adds: “If we may look upon the last fortnight’s success as the turn of the tide, the flood of Japanese conquest may still send the spume of its heavier waves into channels closer to Australia and New Zealand. Before the full ebb many battles will have to be fought by land, sea, and air.” -