JAPS FEEL PRESSURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 163, 12 July 1945, Page 5

JAPS FEEL PRESSURE

II SINGAPORE • BHIISTIS BRITISH PREDICTION US - Davy's Tremendous Feat Against Tokyo T7n,. N 1 n'on A ; Sp6Cia T 1 Corr e S pondent Rcc 10.30 a.m. LONDON, July H The attack on Japan by nearly 2000 aircraft in 15 hours, LcludTng raids by 1000 carrier-borne aircraft has made a deep impression here' The latter, more particulars ie regarded as at tremendouflat' It is recalled that when the British Bomber Command launched ite first 1000-bomber raM against Cologne , it was regarded as a supreme feat of organisation. To get the same number of aircraft off the decks of carriers is regarded as a far greater feat. s eu as

ag^n iS to n Th S e & Tgahfst jar East the News Chronicle miliK fi cr^- c ex P r esses the opinion that fighting may continue in the South-west Pacific for 12 months, in and around Japan for two years and in China, eventually in Manchuria and Korea, it may be indefinitely prolonged. He adds i-x- 1 , s P oss ible, of course, that political or psychological influences may cut short hostilities but he thinks there is no military reason why the war should be expected to end sooner. Possible Russian Intervention Two factors which may hasten the end, the writer continues, are the speed with which the new Chinese armies can be trained and equipped and the date of possible Russian intervention. With the arrival of five battle-worthy Chinese divisions from Burma it may be possible to put the new Chinese armies in the field sooner than was expected, once American

war materials have been landed in great quantities. He considers that it becomes more certain daily that if early success is to •be scored in Asia its date depends on Chinese planning and co-operation. The writer does not expect any immediate developments from the direction of Rangoon but, taking the long view, says it is not overoptimistic to expect British and Dominion troops to celebrate Christmas in Singapore. He thinks it unlikely that an' invasion of Japan will be launched before the position has improved in Southern China by exploiting recent Chinese successes.

Okinawa Key To Struggle

Writing in the Daily Express, Brigadier R. F. Johnson says the battle for Okinawa was fought because the Japanese know that if their homeland collapsed to-morrow only half the Pacific war would be over. He is of the opinion that Okinawa is the key to the struggle with the new Japan. The second half of the job, which begins when Japan proper falls, ■is the destruction of the duplicate Japan which has its nerve centre and arsenal in Manchuria. There a government, army and war industries, all complete, await the moment when the Son of Heaven flies over and ousts the puppet, Henry Pu-yi, from the throne. All Manchuria and every corner of China, where 2,000,000 of 4 000,000 Japanese troops are spread, will be within easy reach of Okinawa's Super Fortresses with their 3500-mile turn round. He is of the opinion that, the American Navy could now make a landing at any time on the Chinese coast, whichthe Chinese have cleared from Hongkong to Shanghai. Brigadier Johnson regards Okinawa 8 as a keypoint for the last smashing of Japan and then a base for the conquest of Manchuria.