JAPAN’S STRENGTH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 306, 8 October 1942, Page 3

JAPAN’S STRENGTH

NAVY IN THE PACIFIC AREA. MAY STRIKE OBJECTIVES. . AMERICAN NAVAL WARNING. (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright). (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 7. Naval observers, point out that the Japanese fleet, despite heavy losses, is still strong enough to launch a. new offensive in the south-west and central Pacific, says the United Press correspondent at Pearl Harbour. The American victories in the • Ooral Sea and Midway battles were based primarily on. the' element of surprise, and should not be taken to mean, that the Japanese cannot deal, or have not dealt, heavy blows. The Japanese may strike any one of three principal objectives: Firstly, against the American bases in the Solomons, to nip in the head the United Nations’ counter-offensive; secondly, against the principal step-pi-ngstones in the Southern Pacific supply route to Australia ; thirdly, against the Midway-Ha waii area, to smash or capture the main 'base of the United States Pacific Fleet. The Under-Secretary for the Navy (Mr Forrestal), who has just returned from a tour of the Southern Pacific areas, predicts the revival of bitter fighting in the Solomons. For the first time the little squat men have been sent back. ' They do not like it. There will be nothing static about cur very active second] front ‘down under.’”