AIMS DEFINED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1942, Page 3

AIMS DEFINED

PROTECTION OF SUPPLY LINE AND ACQUISITION OF BASE FOR ATTACK. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS REPORTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, August 16. Naval circles in Washington intimated that the offensive in the Solomons continued to proceed satisfactorily, says the “New York Times” correspondent. However, the Navy Department stated that nothing could be revealed beyond the last communique. The Associated Press of America says: “The Navy’s developing conquest of the south-eastern Solomons is regarded in official quarters here as the opening of a new period of inter-island fighting over the supply lines in the western Pacific. This will involve not only further American assaults on en-emy-held islands, but also probably a continuation of the Japanese efforts to win a position from which the American communications can be severely harrassed.

“The immediate purpose of the action in the Solomons is described as twofold: First, to secure the American supply line to Australia and New Zealand against Japanese offensive thrusts; and secondly, to provide an advance base directly menacing the enemy operations and centres to the north-west. Thus, both military and naval authorities assign only limited objectives to the Solomons offensive, indicating that the big push for victory in the Pacific has not yet started.

“Meanwhile, the Navy continues to maintain official silence regarding the progress of the operations in the Solomons.”