DEFENCE OF INDIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1942, Page 3

DEFENCE OF INDIES

SERIOUS THREAT NOW RAISED TO JAVA BUT JAPANESE DISPERSED OVER WIDE AREA. IMPORTANCE OF SEA AND AIR COMMAND. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 25. A sketch of the activities of the Netherlands forces since the war reached the south-west Pacific two and a half months ago not only underlines the value of this gallant defence to the common cause, but also provides a useful picture of Japan’s strategy. The situation for Java, it is observed, is dangerous now. In the west, north and east the Japanese have gained different footholds, including aerodromes, from which they will be able to bomb the air bases and the main naval base. Now, however, the enemy has dispersed his forces over a very wide area, and if local command of sea and air were obtainable it should be possible to wipe him out in many of the footholds from which he threatens Java. AMERICAN AID OBSERVATIONS BY DUTCH OFFICIAL. REINFORCEMENTS BEGINNING TO ARRIVE. BANDOENG, February 26. Answering the question, “Why has the United States not been more active?” the Lieutenant GovernorGeneral of the East Indies, Dr. Van Mook, broadcasting on the results of his visit to the United States, said: “We must remember the difficulties that must be surmounted by a people who hitherto have been inspired only by a desire for peace and who, after December 7, still had to commence building up their war machine. Much had been done to increase production for the assistance of Britain, but when a country like the United States concentrates on waging its own war it is very different from increasing production to assist others. Dr. Van Mook assured the Dutch that the Americans were not under Gfe '^ us * on that this part of the world was the least important theatre of war. Reinforcements were en route to the Indies and had partly arrived. When he left the United States, he said, he had pointed out that the Dutch main force was stationed in Java, and the defence plans never envisaged that the outer islands would be defended as would Java. “We are not alone in this, though at the moment we must mainly depend on our own strength. The United States forces here will stay here, and/ the supplies will continue,” he said.