MANILA AND CAVITE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1942, Page 4

MANILA AND CAVITE

AMERICAN OFFICIAL REPORTS READJUSTMENT OF LINES EFFECTED. CONTINUED HEAVY FIGHTING. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, Noon.) RUGBY, January 2. The fall of Manila and the evacuation of the Cavite naval base are announced in Washington. The United States War Department states that Japanese troops entered Manila at 3 p.m., local time, today and are now policing the capital. The loss of Manila, while serious, has not lessened resistance to Japanese attacks, it is added. A communique states: “The American and Philippine troops withdrew from Manila several days ago and all defence installations were removed or destroyed. The troops now occupy strong positions north of Manila and are holding Corregidor Island and other defences in Manila Bay, preventing the use of the harbour by the enemy. The tactical situation in the vic-, inity of Manila necessitated a radical readjustment of the lines held by the American and Filipino troops and a consolidation of the defence forces north of Manila. This manoeuvre was successfully accomplished in face of strong enemy opposition. The consequent shortening of our lines necessarily uncovered the road to Manila and made possible an entrance into the city. As it had previously been declared an open city, no close defence within the environs was possible. “During the past 24 hours there has been heavy fighting on the ground, with repeated enemy attacks from the north. Japanese air activity has been somewhat less in intensity than for several days. “A landing by a small enemy force was effected at Jolo, in the Sulu Archipelago, in the South Philippine Group. There is nothing to report in other areas.” Regarding Cavite, a United States Navy Department communique states: “The United States naval base at Cavite was evacuated before the en» emy entered Manila. All records, equipment and stores that had not been destroyed by bombing were removed before the evacuation of the naval personnel. All industrial and supply facilities, including fuel, were destroyed. The personnel of the Naval Hospital remained at their posts at the Naval Hospital at Canacao to care for the wounded. All ships and naval personnel were removed from the Manila and Cavite areas prior to the enemy occupation. There is nothing to report in other areas.” JAPANESE CLAIM SOME AMERICAN TROOPS CUT OFF. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 2. The Tokio official radio claims that part of General MacArthur’s forces, attempting to cross Manila Bay to Corregidor to join other American troops, were cut off on the Batan Peninsula. INTENSE ATTACKS NORTH & NORTH-WEST OF MANILA. STUBBORN AMERICAN RESISTANCE. LONDON, January 2. In the Philippines the Japanese are pressing their attack north and northwest of Manila with increasing intensity. They are being stubbornly resisted by General McArthur’s troops. JAPANESE BOMBING IN DUTCH EAST INDIES. ATTEMPTS TO TERRORISE CIVILIANS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, January 2. A Dutch East Indies communique states: “In the northern Archipelago, a warship of the United States forces, co-operating with the Dutch East Indies Navy, was attacked by Japanese bombers, but suffered no damage. “The enemy is continuing his attempts to terrorise civilians by ma-chine-gunning attacks. Three Japanese bombers attacked a locality in the east coast of Sumatra, where there is not the slightest trace of a military objective. Similar terror attacks were made on Amurang, in the Celebes. All these caused neither damage nor casualties, with the exception of one attack on a locality in New Guinea, where a few casualties ensued.”