Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

OPINION IN BRITAIN

DEVELOPMENTS IN PACIFIC. POSITION BEING TAKEN UP FOR OFFENSIVE. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, November 23. “It is perhaps unwise to herald each new American stroke in the Pacific as the ‘opening of the long-awaited amphibious offensive,’ ” says the “Manchester Guardian” in a leading article. “This may have to wait till the surrender of Germany. But what we see at the moment is the taking of positions from which this offensive may one day be launched and from which, till then, we may waste Japan’s resources in aircraft and shipping.” The “Guardian” refers to the importance of taking Tarawa as an air base, and it asks: “May we detect from this attack the beginnings of a wider strategic movement in the war in the Pacific?” It adds 'that the possession of Makin and Tarawa and also, of Wake Island would end the immunity of the Marshall Islands. “If the. Allies can settle themselves and their aircraft in the outer line of Japan’s protective screen not only would the enemy losses mount, but they might also be induced to risk a major sea encounter,” it. says. “Japan might bring out her fleet if she saw her oceanic position being whittled away by air and sea raiders striking at her communications from islands astride them which were once her own.” It warns that if this is the strategy we must expect it to take a long time to unfold. The “Daily Telegraph” expresses the view that the latest operations are only preliminary, but that they begin a new phase of war with the Japanese. The loss of the Gilbert group would threaten the Japanese communications with all their island conquests and open a central route for the American air and sea power. It adds that one of the main purposes of the Allied strategy throughout and round the Pacific must be to bring the Japanese Fleet and Air Force to action. “The large American operations of all arms in the Gilberts are the beginning of an attack through the centre

of the Japanese conquests at the heart of Japan,” it says. “Converging blows from South-east Asia through China may well speed the downfall of Japan, but every economical means of stretching the Japanese forces and. wearing them down will assist the main blows. The oceanic advance is the most direct, and it has deadly possibilities before it reaches the coast of Japan.” The New Delhi correspondent of “The Times,” commenting on the Japanese home front, says that General Tojo is showing signs of uneasiness. Conferences were recently held in Tokio of public prosecutors and other high judicial officials, to whom Tojo declared that the war was a battle of spirit against spirit and of will against will. So long as the Japanese spirit existed, victory was 'certain, he said, but they must not be over-optimistic. The Government was now strengthening the home front, on which the most important need was control of speech and the prevention of any split in national opinion. “The people are effectively muzzled, and the split must be looked for in high places,” the correspondent adds.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19431125.2.41

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1943, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
520

OPINION IN BRITAIN Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1943, Page 3

OPINION IN BRITAIN Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1943, Page 3

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert