Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1942. PACIFIC WAR LEADERSHIP.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1942. PACIFIC WAR LEADERSHIP.

MELVIN J. MAAS, who is not only a member of. - the United States House of Representatives, but a colonel in his country’s famous Marine Corps, has returned to Washington from service in the Pacific to declare, from his place in Congress, that “the Navy had not told the truth about the Pacific war and that the situation was more serious than had been admitted.”

Very few people indeed, it may be supposed, are in possession of the exact and detailed information that would enable them to reach definite conclusions as to the strength or weakness of the charges made by Mr Maas. Indeed it is likely that, the necessity of withholding information from the enemy will stand in the way of these charges being elaborated to any great extent publicly. With much larger issues also at stake, it must be hoped, however, for the sake of Australia and New Zealand that the situation in the Pacific is not as bad as the reported declaration of Mr Maas would suggest. The consequences of any serious failure of Allied leadership in the Pacific obviously would be likely to fall more or less heavily on the Dominions.

One practical test of the efficiency of Allied Avar leadership in this ocean is being applied at present in the Solomons area, in naval and air battles, arising out of a fifth attempt by the Japanese to recover the Guadalcanal and Tulagi positions occupied by the Americans on August 7, which have been in progress since Thursday last. As news stands at time of writing, comprehensive information regarding the outcome of days of heavy fighting is being withheld lest it should be of value to the enemy. There have been some particulars of heavily damaging attacks by Flying Fortresses, operating from Australia, on Japanese warships in the Buin-Faisi area. Another satisfactory item is the destruction by American fighters and warship guns of thirty out of a force of 31 Japanese aircraft (23 torpedobombers and eight Zero fighters) which attacked American ships engaged in a devastating bombardment of Japanese shore positions in Guadalcanal.

So far as the Solomons are concerned, however, the battle picture admittedly is incomplete. There have been some losses on both sides and the,net outcome has yet to be disclosed. Tn New Guinea, on the other hand, the Allied forces are making good and promising progress in the eastern area in ■which conflict meantime is concentrated. The capture of Wairopi by the Australians has been followed by a junction of Australian and American forces which are now combining in a drive on the enemy coastal base of Buna.

The charges macle by Mr Maas are likely to give new point and acerbity to a controversy which has been raging for some time past in the United States and some other Pacific areas on the subject of command organisation in the war against Japan. As has been said, not many people are in possession of the explicit information that- would enable them to form opinions of any value on the important, questions involved. Tentatively, however, it may be suggested that it is a little difficult to believe that the British and American leaders responsible for the brilliant plan of campaign now taking shape in North Africa are simultaneously showing themselves incapable of bringing equal foresight and ability to bear upon the war problems by which thev are confronted in the Pacific.

Some of those who are criticising the conduct of the war in the Pacific and demanding the establishment of a united command contend .that operations in this ocean are being neglected, and subordinated to a full-powered effort against Germany in Africa and Europe. That contention perhaps is sufficiently answered by the assurance President Roosevelt gave only a couple of months ago, when, having named the Pacific as one of the four main areas of combat, he said: “The American people may be sure that we shall neglect none of the four great areas of war.”

It may be as well to consider that while the Japanese evidently must at least be held in the areas in which they are now being engaged, notably the Solomons and New Guinea, there is no assurance that Allied action will be restricted to these areas. There have been some indications, for instance, that preparations are well advanced for powerful bombing offensives from China, directed to the disruption of Japanese war industries. This is* only one of a number of possibilities. The present situation in the Pacific has something in common with that which obtained in Europe in the recent months in which Britain and America were being accused of failing inexcusably to take diversionary action on behalf of Russia. That action 0.11 the scale demanded in the Pacific has not yet been taken does not of necessity mean that it is not being prepared. Neither is there any assurance that as unpleasant a surprise will not be sprung eventually upon Japan as has been sprung already upon her accomplices in. Europe.