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Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 81, 6 April 1943, Page 4

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MR. NASH RETURNS

AUCKLAND WELCOME

After an absence of over 12 months, Mr. Walter Nash, New Zealand Minister to the United States of America, returned from Washington yestereday afternoon. He arrived in Auckland shortly after three o'clock.

Merely to hold what we have in the Pacific and to wage little more than a defensive war against Japan until Germany has been defeated is not part of the strategy of the United Nations, said Mr. Nash in an interview. Mr. Nash, wno saw for himself many links in the chain of island bases, told the official war correspondent with Allied forces in the Pacific that the growing strength of the United Nations facing Japan was clearly not directed at defence alone. He hinted that unpleasant surprises were in store for the Japanese. "To suggest that this should be just a holding war is wrong, and it is recognised as being wrong,' said Mr. Nash. "I am satisfied that the Japanese will get a terrible shock when everything that is now being built up is unleashed against them. There is no doubt whatever that such a force is being built up." Massing of Forces It was a mistake, said Mr. Nash, to imagine that we were putting all our strength into the war in Europe, leaving Japan until that was completed. At the same time,- it would be dangerous to so divide our forces between the European and the Pacific fronts as to run the risk of being ineffective in both theatres. In striking a proper balance, particular regard had to be given to our taking a full part with Russia in the struggle against Germany. Even -so, there was no justification for believing that we would fight only a holding war against Japan.