JAPAN FACES AMERICA

Southland Times, Issue 24877, 17 October 1942, Page 5

JAPAN FACES AMERICA

FOCAL POINT OF STRUGGLE (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 15. “Guadalcanar has become the focal point of a major battle which may be crucial in the struggle between the United States and Japan,” says the Washington correspondent of The New York Times. “This became clear today when the Navy announced that the Japanese had landed more reinforcements near the American airfield despite heavy losses inflicted by the defenders. One rather ominous note in the Navy communique was the statement that other enemy forces, including heavy units, had been sighted in the vicinity of Guadalcanar, indicating that a decisive sea action is in the making.” “Few conclusions can be drawn by observers from the Navy’s partial reports, but two possibilities are notable at present in the reports. The first is that the power of the Japanese indicates that the main battle fleet is backing this excursion against Guadalcanar. The other is that the renewed ability of the Japanese to bomb Guadalcanar might, make the field unuseable and thereby ground the bombers based there as the principal defence against invasion ships. No indications have been given of the battle’s probable outcome. “Navy spokesmen have repeatedly expressed the opinion that Guadalcanar could be held but this prediction has been qualified by an “if,” that it depended on how much the Japanese are prepared to pay—a very large price if necessary. This leaves the issue one to be determined by the amount of force that can be rushed to the aid of the defenders. A United States Navy spokesman said that stem fighting was continuing but no complete view would be obtained until the action was finishing. So far as the land fighting was concerned all the information available was being released as quickly as possible. ANOTHER AIR ATTACK It was announced shortly after midday today that 27 Japanese bombers again attacked United States shore positions on Guadalcanar but details are lacking. Enemy surface forces, including two transports, are still moving in the waters around Savo Island. Three enemy transports, earlier reported damaged, have been observed on a beach at Guadalcanar still burning. There is no news, however, of how the fighting either by land or sea is going.