THE PACIFIC WAR

Evening Star, Issue 24334, 24 October 1942, Page 5

THE PACIFIC WAR

A MAJOR CAMPAIGN DAN GSR IN WAITING NEW YOIIK, October 22. “ The men lighting in the Pacific war believe the Japanese are more dangerous than the Germans and consider Japan our primary adversary,” the correspondent of tiie ‘New York Times’ (Mr Hanson Baldwin) writes in the first of a series of articles on a recent Pacific tour. “ Most of our Pacific leaders and observers believe the European and Pacific conflicts are two separate wars, coinciding strategically only at those points in the areas where the Japanese and German ambitions and self-interests happen to coincide. Thus Japan conducts operations to help Germany only when it is clearly in Japan’s interest. The bonds of the Tripartite Pact arc loose and liable to severance at any time' it suits the interests of either party. “ The Pacific leaders are concerned over the dangerous fallacy of American opinion that once the Germans are defeated Japan will be a ‘push-over,’ and express the opinion that if Japan is allowed to consolidate her gains while wo undertake the laborious process of bringing Germany to her knees the Japanese will become so strong and secure that it will require yearn to defeat them. Furthermore, if Japan is allowed to march to further victories the consequent effect upon global strategy might be disastrous for the Allied cause in Europe. “ Accordingly, we cannot fight a protracted delaying action in the Pacific. We must hit Japan without respite and prevent her from consolidating her gains, but this must be done while we exert the main effort against Germany, This is the dilcmmgi of the Pacific. We are fighting a major campaign on a shoestring, and recent operations in the Solomops, which were costly to both sides, well illustrate the problems confronting us, as follows: “ (1) Leadership* is perhaps our greatest problem. Defensive complexand over-caution on the part of some naval leaders have resulted in errors of judgment and costly, unnecessary losses. • “ (2) There still exists an underlying bitterness in the feelings- between the army and navy personnel, exacerbated by the more virulent writers and critics at home. “ (3) Over-stringent censorship and relations policy not only makefile lack of a co-ordinated joint public Pacific war an ‘ unknown war ’ for the people, but intensify service rivalries and hurt morale. “ (4) The Australian situation is disadvantageous, and the problems related to coalition in the war have greatly complicated General MacArthur’s position. “ (5) A handicap has been imposed by the arbitrary division of the Pacific, which is really a strategic entity, into two theatres—one under Admiral Nimitz and the other under General MacArthur. “ Summing up the relative advantages of the opposing forces in the Pacific, we have a considerably greater war potential, yet Japan has hitherto had quantitative air and naval superiority. The enemy has a great advantage in his interior position, giving him shorter lines of communication. Comparing troops en masse, the enemy is clearly superior in jungle warfare and also more experienced in ampinbian operations. In addition, he possesses the will to win and a firm belief in Japan’s invincibility. Wo possess, however, clear-cut qualitative air superiority, also qualitative superiority in some of the tactics and^ technique of warfare, particularly carrier operation and submarine commerce raiding, while we have shown greater flexibility and readiness to learn, and a far' greater ability to analyse and diagnose _ correctly the enemy’s intentions, as illustrated in the Coral Sea and Midway engagements.”

ITALIAN KING HAS* HEART ATTACK NEW YORK, October 23. The Berne correspondent of tbo ‘New York Times ’ says the King of Italy is suffering from a heart attack, but his condition has improved. The attack occurred during a visit to Risa, where he received emergelicy treatment. Official. Rome circles profess ignorance of the 'illness. Film ACTRESS SHOT AS SPY BIRLIN RADIO'S STORY (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) 'LONDON, Oct. 23. The Berlin radio declared that Jeanne Duclos, the well-known French film actress, was court-martialled at .Gibraltar and shot as a spy. The radio'said secret service agents for some time have pursued Duclos, who was born in Poland. She finally fell into their trap, and signed a contract for film work in Argentina. Duclos embarked on a ship destined for Buenos Aires, but when she reached Gibraltar the British arrested her. “ The background of the affair is rather mysterious because Duclos was known to have been antiGerman rather' than pro-German,” added the radio.

REPORT DENIED (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, Oct 23. The British United Press Gibraltar correspondent says there is no truth in the Berlin radio report that Jeanne Duclos was shot as a spy. TO SAVE PETROL BICYCLES FOR THE B.A.F. (British Official Wireless.) (Roc. 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 23. The R.A.F. has decided to save petrol by using bicycles instead of motor cars at airfields, and orders for 170,000 standard machines will be completed* next month by six leading bicycle manufacturers. Pilots among others will use the bicycles to get to and from their aircraft. , - TUBELESS TYRES SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS IN U.S.A. (Rec. 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 22. Initial experiments with tubeless automobile tyres have proved successful in Washington, where an official car operated 350 miles with tyres mounted directly on rims made airtight with puncture-proof liquid and inflated through a metal valve where the tube valve normally appears. The experiment was instigated by Senator Thomas,- who declared that 150 cars wore - operating in Tulsa, Oklahoma, without tubes.