ERROR ADMITTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1941, Page 5

ERROR ADMITTED

ESTIMATE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA ■ --■» BERLIN’S TIME SCHEDULE. ACCEPTED BY JAPANESE. NEW YORK. August 9. The Tokio correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune,” Mr Joseph Newman, in a copyright message, says the Japanese admit, although reluctantly, that they have miscalculated in estimating developments in the Russo-German war. Therefore, he adds, they have underestimated the price they may have to pay for the occupation of French IndoChiija. They placed so much confidence in Herr Hitler’s judgment and in the strength of the Nazi armies that they accepted without question Berlin’s time schedule. Mr Newman says it is fair to assume that Japan would have preferred to await American participation in the European war before moving into Indo-China, because American involvement against the Nazis would ease American pressure against Japan. The outbreak of the Russo-German war, in the opinion of the Japanese, postponed American participation, thereby interfering with Japan's Original plan. Mr Ishimaru, an expert commentator, has pointed out that Germany let Japan down in attacking Russia, thus making it possible for the democracies to strengthen their position and enabling Britain to release part of her fleet for the Far East. German officials let it be known that they expected to be in Moscow in about a fortnight, but the Germans have failed. Meantime the democracies have greatly strengthened their military position in the south sea area. Well-informed observers do not believe that Japan will risk war against the democracies while the democracies can concentrate their forces in the Far East and possibly secure the support of Russia in the north. Many officials now expect a long drawn out war between Germany and Russia, and therefore must consider the possibility of a German defeat. It is considered unlikely that Japan can move in either direction at present.