SAME MEN USED BY JAPANESE

Southland Times, Issue 24839, 3 September 1942, Page 5

SAME MEN USED BY JAPANESE

False Impression Of Strength (Rec. 8.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 1. “The Japanese are not so strong as their early victories would indicate, declares Joseph Harsch, The Christian Science Monitor correspondent, who has just returned from covering the Pacific war. “But,” he adds, “they are sufficiently strong to fight a long, hard war, demanding the utmost exertion from the Allies. “The Allies’ defensive strategy, plus Tokyo’s ability to use the same crack troops as spearheads for successive drives, has given a misleading impression of the size and ability of the Japanese Army,” Mr Harsch explains. “Actually Japan seems to possess a relatively small attacking force of firstline troops. She used the same men in Burma, Malaya, the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies.” Mr Harsch makes the following contentions:— (1) The air battles in the Pacific are trivial compared with those in Europe as Japan does not possess a large air force according to modern standards. She also lacks the ability to make largescale replacements. „ (2) The Japanese High Command shows a surprising mastery of modern strategy and tactics, but the junior officers have not succeeded in eliminating their mediaeval outlook. They are possessed with “do or die” determination and waste troops on impossible tasks. (3) The Japanese have succeeded at many points by very narrow margins. (4) The Japanese have, weakened themselves by dispersing their strength over too many points.

JAPANESEROUTED CHINESE APPROACH KINHWA CHUNGKING, September 1. Chinese forces, storming across Chekiang province, have intercepted and routed Japanese reinforcements rushed forward in a frantic effort to halt Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s forces, which are approaching Kinhwa, reports the American Associated Press Chungking correspondent. The Chinese ambushed the Japanese moving up the railway between Kinhwa and Lanchi, while another Chinese column advanced from Tangki to Kinhwa. The Chinese military spokesman says that Kinhwa is menaced by a nutcracker offensive along the two railways. The Japanese forces have been cleared entirely from the southern areas of Chekiang. Lishui and Chuhsien airfields are now both in Chinese hands. They are within bombing range of Japanese cities. THREAT TO AUSTRALIA Japanese Determination (Rec. 10 pun.) NEW YORK, Sept. 1. “The Japanese are very serious in their intention and efforts to take Australia,” declared Otto Tolischus, of The New York Times, who recently returned from Tokyo. Mr Tolischus added that the Japanese always included Australia in their “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity” programme. The Japanese militarists felt they must conquer Australia and Siberia in order to eliminate such bases for attack. It seemed that the frequent bombings of Darwin indicated that North Australia was the Japanese first objective as a base. Asked what likely plan the Japanese had in mind if they succeeded in occupying Australia, Mr Tolischus said undoubtedly the Japanese had one single purpose in all captured countries, to utilize the existing institutions under Japanese top control and for Japanese profit, ultimately transforming them into completely Japanese institutions. Mr Tolischus pointed out, however, th'at the American occupation of the Solomons had changed the whole outlook of the Japanese programme regarding Australia. MR TOGO” RESIGNS General Tojo’s New Post LONDON, September 1. Mr Sigenori Togo, the only remaining civilian in the Japanese Cabinet, has resigned from his post as Foreign Minister. The portfolio has been taken by the Prime Minister, General Hideki Tojo. A wide variety of interpretations has been placed on the reshuffle by commentators. Some recall that Mr Togo was Ambassador in Moscow for two j years and suggest that he supports peace with Russia and that General Tojo favours an attack on Russia. Others point out that Mr Togo has a German wife and was closely associated with file signing of the Axis pacts. Still others suggest that General Tojo is trying to concentrate in his own hands all the effective power and authority in Japan. W. N. Ewer, the. well known diplomatic correspodent of The Daily Herald, declares that it is impossible to assess the implications of the change. He comments: “It may simply be a piece of low down personal intrigue. General Tojo is an ambitious man who, according to some reports, seeks to be the Fuhrer of Japan. It may be that he is simply getting rid of a man who is not completely subservient to his wishes.”