PACIFIC PROSPECTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 33, 18 November 1943, Page 3

PACIFIC PROSPECTS.

ENEMY LACKS NAVAL COVER. WEIGHT OF ALLIED POWER. SYDNEY, November 17. “The outlook in the Southern Pacific has never been brighter,” says an Australian war correspondent at General MacArthur’s headquarters. “The Allies have wrested every tactical ad* vantage from the Japanese in a series of bitter land battles and have gained control of the air. “Against our pincer thrusts from the Solomons and New Guinea areas the enemy cannot hope to' hold his main marshalling base of Rabaul unless he endeavours to stabilise the situation by risking a good part of his naval strength. A continuation of his present policy of dribbling In stopgap reinforcements will merely involve losses requiring a ready . reckoner to compute. “Should the Japanese launch a challenge to the present Allied naval superiority, though this is unlikely, observers are impressed that Admiral .Halsey’s, evident confidence in recent thrusts is backed by massive reserves of naval and air striking power. Responsible Allied commanders, however, do not expect the Japanese to venture a carrier-covered fleet within range of the Allies’ newly-won land bases. “The loss of the northern Solomons and Rabaul would dangerously expose the big Japanese naval base of Truk, 830 miles north of Rabaul. Such an Allied success might also pave tho way for a thrust through the Central Pacific.

“Thus, in defence of their dwindling holdings in the Southern Pacific, the ■ Japanese face a grave and costly dilemma. The present situation on this front may be summarised: the Japanese do not have sufficient air bases from which to deploy the aeroplane strength essential for an effective defence; a major enemy fleet is not likely to venture into these waters without landing-based air protection; the Japanese land forces seem incapable of winning back their lest bases without sustained, large-scale naval support. “A sharp decline in Japanese fortunes in this area began following the secret meeting between General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey on tho Australian mainland early in June. Since then the enemy has been steadily forced into a corner, lacking any simple' escape alternatives.” A United States Navy spokesman said that Rabaul was getting too hot for the Japanese, says a message from Washington. In spite of his losses the enemy continued to pour warships and aircraft into the area. He added that the Japanese had suffered enough damage to their important fleet units to give them cause for serious consideration of abandoning the Rabaul base.