AIR POWER AND THE PACIFIC WAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 41, 18 February 1943, Page 5

AIR POWER AND THE PACIFIC WAR

JAPANESE TACTICS

Avoidance Of Naval Battle No Sign Of Weakness

N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. noon. SYDNEY, this day. "It would be naive to interpret the refusal of the Japanese fleet to give battle with Admiral Halsey's forces as a sign of weakness. Japan's existence depends on keeping her navy in being, and acceptance of challenges to fight at sea, except under promising conditions, plays no part in Japanese ideas of war." The Sydney Morning Herald to-day makes this editorial comment on the outcome of the recent naval operations in the South Pacific. It adds that throughout the war the Japanese have carefully husbanded their battleships. Severe losses of aircraftcarriers have deepened their need for a cautious naval strategy, aimed at wearing down the potentially stronger American naval power. Air attacks, such as resulted in the loss of the cruiser Chicago, are undoubtedly intended to be Japan's favoured method of countering American naval strength.

Air Power Indispensable The newspaper points out that the Japanese did not abandon Guadalcanar until they had consolidated air bases within striking distance of the American supply lines to Guadalcanar and protecting the southeastern approaches to their key base at Rabaul. "Thus, Allied air superiority in the South Pacific, enabling enemy bases to be rendered practically untenable by their air fleets, is an indispensable prerequisite to our further advances." Only the growth of Allied air power, both in the south and south-west Pacific theatres will prepare the way for the piercing of the defensive but still threatening arc which Japan is feverishly completing from the Celebes to the Solomons. Pacific war commentators here point out that the strength of Admiral Halsey's naval forces has been comfortingly indicated by Japanese discretion. Throughout Australia a keen sense of loss is being felt in the sinking of the Chicago, which came to this country in March, 1941, as the flagship of a United States squadron. It has been announced that the city of Chicago proposes to raise a fund of £12,500,000 to replace the lost warship, which was known as "the gangster of the Pacific."

U.S. Losses Called "Substantial" The New York Times declares editorially that Japanese losses in accomplishing their mission of evacuating forces from Guadalcanar were not over heavy from the enemy standpoint. Pointing out that undisclosed damage may have been inflicted upon American ships, it claims that American naval losses were substantial. "Apparently the descent of the Japanese rescue fleet, with battleships and carriers, almost synchronised with the approach of an American task force, convoying transports to Guadalcanar," adds the Times. "Twenty enemy destroyers took the remnants of their beaten force from Cape Esperance when our main naval forces swept northward. Japanese capital units from Truk withdrew to safer waters, pursued by-our ships and planes. It was in this flight that the Japanese suffered their chief losses."