CHURCHILL’S SURVEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1941, Page 5

CHURCHILL’S SURVEY

BRITAIN ACTING AHEAD OF ENGAGEMENTS

THE ATTACKS ON THAILAND & MALAYA.

CALL FOR FULL-POWERED

EFFORT.

LONDON, December 8. After giving, in the House of Commons, the reasons which had induced Great Britain to declare war on Japan before the announcement of the American declaration, instead of afterwards, as had been agreed upon previously, Mr Churchill said a number of military secret societies in Japan had asserted their views over those of others and it was to those bodies that the most strange and violent action of Japan, so fateful to her future, must be ascribed. The Japanese, Mr Churchill said, began to enter British territory in North Malaya at about 6 a.m. yesterday and were immediately engaged by our troops, who were there. waiting for them. Home Office measures against Japanese nationals were set in motion a little after 10 o’clock. It could therefore be seen that no time had been lost and that Britain was acting ahead of her engagements. The Dutch East Indies had also declared war on Japan. There were reports that Japanese troops had landed at the Kra Isthmus, just inside Siamese territory from North Malaya and further south landings had been made in our territory. Mr Churchill said he had sent a message to Thailand in which he stated the possibility of an immediate Japanese invasion of their country. If they were attacked he asked them to defend themselves,' as the full independence and sovereignty of Thailand was a British interest and any attack on Thailand would be regarded as an attack on Britain. After speaking of the treacherous nature of the attack by the Japanese, Mr Churchill said there was no doubt that every effort had been made by the Government of the United States to bring about a peaceful solution. It was fortunate that in the period after Dunkirk Great Britain was not attacked by Japan, at a time when Britain was standing alone. At that period there was very great danger from an attack in the Far East, when they could not have made any adequate resistance.

SYMPATHY FOR CHINA.

Mr Churchill went on to speak of the sympathy Britain had felt all along for China and said that for a time Britain had been afraid to help China as much as was desired. In the summer of last year Britain had even found it necessary to close the Burma Road for a time. Later they were able to reverse that policy and to make increasingly outspoken declarations of friendship. As Great Britain’s strength grew, a declaration of friendship with China has been sent to General Chiang Kai-shek, and henceforth Britain and China would face the common foe together. Mr Churchill stated that some of the finest ships in the Royal Navy had reached their stations in the Far East at a- very convenient moment. . Every preparation had been made which Britain’s resources allowed, though they must not forget the magnitude of the call made upon them. He did not doubt, wherever the attack, that the British forces would give a good account of themselves. The closest accord had been established with the powerful American naval and air forces and with the strong and efficient forces of the Netherlands in the Netherlands East Indies. He did not minimise the danger which Great Britain and the United States faced by the extension of the war to the Pacific and spoke of the imperative necessity for increasing the output of munitions, tanks and planes. Mr Churchill appealed ‘to those working in factories to do their utmost to make sure that an extra contribution was made to. the general resources of the great alliance of freedom-loving people. The dang-! ers would be great, especially at the outset and the struggle would . probably be long. There was no reason to doubt the justice of their cause. In the past they had a light which glowed, at present they had a light which flared and in the future they would, have a light that would shine bright and re-, splendent on all lands and all seas.

SERIOUS DAMAGE

AT HAWAIIAN NAVAL BASE. PRESIDENT’S REPORTED DISCLOSURE. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 8. According to the United Press of America President Roosevelt made a frank report on the Hawaiian bombings to Legislative leaders and, it is reported, said the Pearl Harbour naval base was seriously damaged. Main units of the fleet were in the harbour when the Japanese attacked. It is also reported that he said the Guam base had been virtually destroyed. However the full extent of the damage, especially at Hawaii, would be withheld as a military secret. The White House has received an unconfirmed report that some of the planes bore the Nazi swastika. The capital was partly blacked out early this morning.