ALEUTIANS BASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 August 1943, Page 3

ALEUTIANS BASE

CANADIANS & AMERICANS OCCUPY KISKA FULLOWNG ON JAPANESE WITHDRAWAL. ROAD TO TOKIO REOPENED. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) QUEBEC, August 21. President Roosevelt and the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King', have jointly announced that Canadian and American troops have occupied Kiska. They found no Japanese there. The American and Canadian expeditionary force on Kiska is believed to have exceeded 10,000. There is some disappointment in military and naval circles over the escape of the Japanese troops whom the Americans would have preferred to extinguish. At the same time, there is relief that there was no bloodshed, since the Japanese had the advantage of being dug. in and Kiska was apparently well fortified. It would have cost many American and Canadian lives if the Japanese had chosen to resist as at Attu.

Strategically, the fall of Kiska is important. The Aleutians are again securely in American hands, and a path is now cleared for the United States to stab at the Japanese mainland from the north. Vice-Admiral Thomas Kinkaid, commander in the north Pacific, said: “The recapture of Kiska means that we have completed our northern road to Japan. Our completed chain of air and naval bases protects our surface vessels and shipping units two-thirds of the way to Tokio. Admiral Kinkaid said that the Kiska battle was actually fought on Attu. "By recapturing Attu,” he said, “We obtained the means of preventing supplies reaching Kiska, as well as a means of bombing Kiska from bases to the west-ward,' thus ensuring the fall of Kiska.” He added that the whole Pacific picture was now changed. The northern route, which was the shortest to Japan, had been cleared, and from Attu we were only 630 miles from Paramushiru, the northernmost Japanese base. The Aleutians campaign was a costly venture for the Japanese who lost hundreds of planes. The Navy Department reported that the total Japanese naval losses were seven destroyers, two other warships, one transport and five cargoships sunk; three destroyers, one submarine, one transport and three cargoships probably sunk; -seven cruisers, five destroyers, three submarines, one other warship, four transports, 13 cargo ships and three other non-combatant vessels damaged. Mr Mackenzie King, broadcasting, drew attention to the significance of the fall of Kiska in. removing the threat from. New Zealand and Australia. “Just as the ' control achieved -by United States, New Zealand and Australian forces in the South-West Pacific aids the defence of Canada, so control of the Aleutians by the Americans and Canadians aids the defence of New Zealand and Australia.” he said.

The Tokio official radio says that Imperial headquarters in a statement said that the Army and Navy units which garrisoned Kiska completed the transfer of theii’ entire forces in the latter part of July, without enemy interference. These units were already stationed in a new post. The Associated Press of America says that a naval communique reported light anti-aircraft action cn at least four occasions in August.