Spread of the Eagle

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1942, Page 2

Spread of the Eagle

Admiral King, commander-in-chief of the United States Navy, has drawn timely attention to a feature of the United States' war effort that is not as well known as it should be. Calling upon workers at a rally for every "killing tool you can make." the admiral referred to eight fronts which American production must partly, or wholly, supply with weapons of war. The distribution of United States* war strength is, therefore, a factor of considerable importance in the fight being waged by the United Nations. Situated as this Dominion is in a United States' strategical zone, the people of this country have been made acutely conscious of American striking power by the recent brilliant action in the Solomons. Yet il is doubtful if many persons are aware how completely American troops have taken their battle stations at strategical points that now literally encircle the globe. An American publication that recently reached this country contains a map of the world upon which the locations of American units are marked and this shows that Admiral King's "eight fronts" are actuaily fighting fronts and are not inclusive of potential fronts which must be prepared and built up. According to authority of the map to which reference has been made, American forces are in no less than 20 areas outside the United States. They are in Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Canada, and Great Britain in the north Atlantic area. In the south Atlantic zone American forces are shown as being in the vital Panama Canal zone, in Bermuda in the British West Indies, in the Caribbean, in Dutch New Guinea. In Africa, there are American contingents depicted as being in Egypt and Eritrea and on the continent of Asia in India and China. In the Pacific the map shows American forces in Alaska, . Midway, the Hawaiian Islands, New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand. This last-named place it might not have been proper to mention were it not that in a nation -wide broadcast to the American people the Prime Minister mentioned "your splendid boys who have already reached New Zealand." Having made public reference to what cannot, on a considerable volume of evidence, have been a secret hidden from many people, the hope may be ventured that Mr. Fraser will use his influence to the end that if their American frifinds and Allies are indeed present in this Dominion, the people of New Zealand may have the opportunity of learning more about them. Stories that give away no military secrets would surely be possible, with emphasis on the human side of life playing a useful part in cementing relations.