WAR IN PACIFIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1942, Page 4

WAR IN PACIFIC

PROBLEMS FOR GENERAL MACARTHUR SEEN AS FORMIDABLE OPINIONS OF WASHINGTON EXPERTS. CAUTION AGAINST FALSE OPTIMISM. (Dy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON. March 18. Military experts have issued a caution against false optimism in the Pacific, pointing out that General MacArthur faces an extremely formidable task, since the odds are still heavy in favour of the enemy, even though the United Nations may be heartened by the arrival of American troops and General MacArthur’s dramatic shift to Australia. In the best analysis of the situation, authorities go no further than to say that the Japanese are facing the most fierce campaign of the war if they attempt to blitz Australia as they smashed Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies. It is expected, however, that the Japanese are ready to risk such a campaign. If General MacArthur is able to hold the island continent until sufficient men and material are massed for a major offensive, then the United Nations’ forces will still have a costly job ahead, with many reverses to be expected before ultimate victory. It is pointed out that the strategy which seems most applicable to the situation goes well with General MacArthur’s military temperament, since it is the strategy of a dynamic defence—that is, striking out as hard and as often as possible against the enemy. It is noted that the Australians are ready to put this idea into effect in air raids on Japanese footholds in the islands to the north. STRENGTH & WEAKNESS. General MacArthur’s advantages in the Australian campaign are listed as follows:— (1) He has more troops and better air strength than in the Philippines. (2) He can organise< ground defences of great depth because of the vast Australian area. (3) He. can expect reinforcements, whereas it was impossible to get them to the Philippines. (4) He can develop numerous air bases. (5) The danger of a Fifth Column does not exist. The disadvantages are:— (1) The long coastlines. (2) The enormous problem of supplies within Australia, besides the extremely long life-line to America. (3) Australia faces an enemy who still holds the initiative and has a numerical superiority. Experts believe that the Australian campaign will prove to be one of manoeuvre. It is considered doubtful whether General MacArthur will be able to prevent the establishment of enemy beachheads on Australia’s long and exposed coastline, since a static, cordon defence would require-an astronomical. number of men. It is believed that General MacArthur will meet such threats with counter-punches by hard-hitting, mobile ground forces, supported by aerial blows. Fighters and bombers are held in reserve in salient bases for such emergencies.

AIR COMMAND SINGLE STRIKING FORCE IN AUSTRALIA. GENERAL BRETT’S SURVEY. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. , United States air forces in Australia have been fused with the R.A.A.F. into a single striking force, under unified command. All resources of men and equipment will be pooled and the policy of supplying the whole force with American machines of the latest and best types has been recommended, to achieve maximum' standardisation. This was announced by Lieutenant-General George H. Brett, Chief of the Air Forces of the South-West Pacific and Deputy Supreme Commander of all forces in that area. The combined Air Force will thus be under the same control as the Army. General Brett, who was giving his first Press conference, revealed that he spent a week in Australia in January, before assuming command of the air forces in Java. “Foundations were laid then,” he said, “for a hell of a good fighting air force. Building up an air force in a new country, with an unfamiliar terrain and different weather and flying conditions is a big job, but air strength is coming and cur job is to keep it rolling without interruption. While we are laying plans for future developments, we are taking what we have today and using it to the maximum. We are watching the Japanese areas to the north and praying for a .chance to have a swat at them. At the same time, our men are putting in invaluable operational and combat training. We are supplying the Australians with aircraft as rapidly as we can. We have just given them a lot.”

FULL CREDIT

FOR AMERICAN AIRMEN. NOW THAT VEIL OF SECRECY HAS BEEN LIFTED. \ (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Because the United States military authorities wished the presence of their forces in the Australian theatre of war to remain a secret as long as possible, the exploits of American airmen working with the R.A.A.F. in Northern Australian territories could not, up to the present, be given the publicity they deserved, the Minister for Air (Mr Drakeford) stated. The R.A.A.F., he added, could not do otherwise tfian respect the wishes of the United States command, but in its communiques the R.A.A.F. had been carhful, while not mentioning the presence of United States airmen, to avoid claiming full credit for Australian flyers. Now it would be possible to give full credit to United States airmen.