TOTAL FAILURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1942, Page 3

TOTAL FAILURE

JAPANESE LANDING ATTEMPT IN SOLOMONS Force of 700 Wiped Out to Last Man ENEMY SEAPLANE BASE ON MAKIN ISLAND DESTROYED PERIOD OF MOPPING UP IN RECAPTURED ISLANDS PEARL HARBOUR, August 21. A communique issued by Admiral Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, states: “Since the initial United States landings in the Solomons Islands a period of mopping up has been in progress in order to consolidate our positions. The Japanese defenders took to the hills and jungle to escape our forces, and there have been daily skirmishes between marine patrols and enemy detachments, in which both sides have suffered casualties. “On Wednesday marines wiped out a Japanese detachment of 92 officers and men who resisted to the last man. The marines lost six killed and 13 wounded. “On Thursday night the enemy landed a force of about 700 well-equipped troops from high-speed boats outside the marines’ lines and attempted a break-through. “During darkness only hand-to-hand fighting was possible, but at dawn the marines were able to manoeuvre. While one battalion held the front line another battalion moved to the flank and drove the withdrawing Japanese to the beach. “Of the 700 Japanese 670 are dead and the rest are prisoners. The marines lost 28 killed and 72 wounded. “The marines in the Solomons, under Major-General Alexander Vandegrift, have added another page to history with their outstanding achievement.”

RAID ON GILBERTS

Another communique issued by Admiral Nimitz, says: “A marine force of the United States Pacific Fleet made a successful landing on Makin Island (Gilbert Group), on August 17, to destroy installations in this enemy seaplane base. The purpose was accomplished in entirety, and the force was withdrawn. “At least 80 Japanese were killed. Radio, stores and installations were destroyed. Two seaplanes were destroyed on the water, and othei - losses were inflicted on the enemy by heavy bombing by their own aircraft from other bases which were attempting to assist them. Our ships gunned and sank a transport and one gunboat. "Considering the nature of the operation, our force suffered only moderate losses. Naval Commander John M. Haines commanded the expedition, and the marines were led by Lieuten-ant-Colonel Evans. F. Carlson, with Major James Roosevelt, who is the son of the President, as second in command. None of those officers are on the casualty list.” GLOOMY VIEW TAKEN BY MR KIRAFLY. “MOCK DEFEATS” PREPARED BY JAPAN. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 23. The cost of the Allied successes in the Solomons has been high, and it is likely to be a continuing one . This warning is sounded by observers here, who also foresee the possibility that the expedition may soon be followed by a great fleet-air engagement which would profoundly affect the war in the Pacific. Australian commentators view the newest raid on the enemy-occupied Makin Island in the Gilberts as evidence that there will be no let-up in America’s Pacific offensive. In Washington, the columnist Mr Drew Pearson says that some optimistic naval facts lie behind the Solomons battle. Japan has suffered severe cruiser losses, her strength having been cut in half and perhaps even further depleted. She has also lost about half of her aircraft-carriers. On the American side the repairs to the ships sunk and damaged in Pearl Harbour have been miraculously swift.

Less palatable deductions of the Japanese strength have been drawn by Mr Alexander Kirafly, a Far Eastern expert and author, who believes that Japan has prepared a series of "mock defeats” in the Pacific to delude the United Nations. In an article in the magazine “Asia” he says that Japan s heavy losses in the Coral Sea, Midway Island and the Aleutian Islands, and off Australia may be designed to create an illusion of weakness in the minds of the Allies. He describes Japan’s failure to “conquer” China as the first example of her effort to make the United Nations believe she was weak. “To American eyes Midway was a decisive victory because the Japanese were driven away from that strategically important island and the enemy losses were far greater than those of the Americans, but japan probably considers such conflicts in the light of the whole conflict,” he says. “If it should find that they tie down the American battle squadrons in Hawaiian and east Australian waters they might even set down such actions as Midway as strategic victories.” Mr Kirafly adds that while Australia and New Zealand are unquestionably “ultimate Japanese objectives,” their conquest may not take precedence ovei India. “More than 100 airfields have sprung into existence in Australia,” he says. ’ “These are undoubtedly well stocked with planes, but feAv if any of these planes could interfere with enemy movements in the northern basin of the Indian Ocean. If the Japanese airfields between Timor and New Guinea were not heavily supplied with planes the Allies would become suspicious, and. accordingly the Japanese have kept them well supplied.” TALES FROM TOKIO ATTACK ON MAKIN ISLAND. ALLEGED FRUSTRATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) NEW YORK, August 21. The Tokio radio declared that competent observers consider the complete frustration of the American attack on Makin Island showed without doubt who dominates the Pacific war front. “These observers regard the attack as a desperate Allied attempt to recoup I and camouflage the losses in the Solomons,” it said.