BUSY PREPARATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1942, Page 3

BUSY PREPARATION

IN THE CAPTURED ISLANDS FOR .USE IN FUTURE OFFENSIVE. OR TO WITHSTAND MAJOR ATTACK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The New Zealand Press Association correspondent at a south Pacific port says that the scene in the south-east-ern Solomons appears to be now mainly one of busy preparation for their offensive use in the future and to withstand any major attack by the Japanese. He emphasises that the capture of the- islands hss to be followed by much intensive work before the new bas'es can be turned to good account in the offensive-defensive plans of the South Pacific Command. In these plans it is obvious that the undertakings against Japanese bases are considered the best means of guaranteeing defence security in the more distant screen of Allied bases and greater protection of Allied countries such as New Zealand and Australia. He pictures the Solomons scene now as being one where three kinds of activity are believed to be progressing. The first is the organisation of the new bases so that they can be used offensively; the second is the continued consolidation of a protective ring of American positions round and beyond the integral areas; and the third is a search by the marines for the Japanese forces which are still in being beyond their forward positions in the densely-wooded islands. The latest communique by Admiral Nimitz at Pearl Harbour confirms the statement made several days ago that the fighting has not ceased nor is likely to cease while there, remain at large the enemy forces who fled into the i jungle after the capture of the islands and later drew together in guerilla groups. The main purpose of these Japanese is to disturb and disrupt American activity and to maintain an information service to the enemyoccupied islands of the northern Solomons, and, through them, to the Carolines, where the eventual enemy command in this area is probably located. THE AMERICAN GRIP. However, unless the Japanese can regain control of the islands’ seaways there seems to be no immediate danger of the marines being dislodged and of the islands again changing hands. The Americans hold the south-eastern Solomons in a good, though wary grip, and such an operation as that which resulted last Thursday in the Japanese landing of a battalion on one of the islands does not argue a weakening of the Allied sea control in an area with so many channels and opportunities for concealment. A night operation of this nature is always possible. The main concern of the Allied Fleet is to meet and defeat the whole force of Japanese naval power which can be brought to bear in an effort to break the offensive potential of the Allies in the south and south-west Pacific areas. Even larger attacks back on Guadalcanal. Tulagi and the neighbouring islands can be left to the land forces with a good measure of confidence. The naval future in the area still remains vital. No one can foretell exactly when or where the anticipated clash will come, but the Allied Fleet is essentially offensive in character, notwithstanding its possible losses since the opening of the operation. MAKIN ISLAND RAID. The raid on Makin Island is not believed to be part of the Solomons operation, and the forces engaged were probably not detached from Admiral Ghormley’s immediate command in the Solomons and New Caledonia area. Completely analogous with the British commando operations, the raid points to the groat potential value of the Americans’ possession of and specialisation in the use of amphibious forces under a unified command, and it is immediately demonstrative of the use at sea of the military method that has been practised so successfully on land by the Japanese —infiltration. It has the immediate result of clearing up one of many dangerous sores which the enemy has been able .to break out on the flank of the Pacific supply and operation lines. The sudden switching of attention to the Far East should drive home a truth that is commonly overlooked; that is, that the river of danger to the Allied countries I and islands in the Pacific has more than one ford.