Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1942. VICTORY IN THE MAKING.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1942. VICTORY IN THE MAKING.

IT is now clear that in the battle at and in region of Midway Island, American naval, and air forces have gained a much more important victory over the Japanese' than was at first indicated. The relative losses reported speak fof themselves. As news stands at time of writing the Japanese have nothing more to set against their own heavy lossesy at least two aiicialt carriers sunk and battleships, cruisers and other vessels seriously damaged or crippled—than damage to one American aircraft-carrier. Of late it has been emphasised, particularly in the United States and in Australia, that Japan is impelled by all the facts of her situation in the Pacific to strike swiftly, with all the power at her command, in the hope 01. attaining decisive leresults before she is overwhelmed by the rapidly rising power of the United Nations. As to the South-Western Pacific, it has been suggested that Japan is less likely to make a direct attack on Australia than, to launch an offensive against Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia, in the hope ol blockading the British Sou,th Pacific Dominions and cutting the United States supply line. At the same time, some American commentators have predicted further Japanese attacks on Hawaii, or even heavy surprise raids on the American Pacific coast, designed to compel a drawing in of United States naval forces for the protection of those areas. If the attack on Midway Island was intended as an opening move in action on these lines, the outcome thus far must be exceedingly disconcerting and discouraging to the Japanese. Having been cheeked sharply in the American raids on the Marshall and Gilbert Islands and in the continuing Allied air attacks on bases north of Australia, and having suffered at least a serious reverse in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Japan has now met with what has every appearance of being a very much heavier and more damaging' defeat in the Midway Island battle —a defeat of which the full story has yet to be told. Allowance has to be made still for the possibility of a swift and powerful blow by Japan at any one of a number of points, but the position, meantime disclosed is that her power to strike such a blow is being cut down progressively, while the offensive power of the Allies is being built up.