The Bay of Plenty Times FRIDAY, JANUARY 17th, 1941 DIGNITY AND IMPUDENCE
Admiral Baron Osmni, senior Naval member of the Supreme "War Council, talked to his people recently through a Japanese newspaper, and this Japanese-sailor appears to have reached a high degree of impudence. He stated that Japan must expand, and indicated that the Pacific may be a misnomer, in other words the Pacific may be the scene of turbulence of war, horrid war. He went on to say that “the future will see an aggravation of the situation. Japan must expand in some direction.” It seems, according to the Admiral, that the South Seas means mainly Australia and New Zealand, for on being requested to define the South Seas he said, “The region includes countries whose mention by name, would strike terror in the hearts of some people. There is no thought of conniving at an outrage and an intolerance much longer.” These are bold statements, but we,fancy the Admiral was beating the big drum for the benefit of the Japanese people. There is a rude awakening coming to Japan, and that very soon. And it will be China that will cause the awakening. The relations between Japan and the United States, and Japan and the British Empire, are not very cordial, particularly in the case of the former, and the two democracies have been taking precautionary measures. The British have placed the troops in the Far East under a separate command. All vulnerable •points are heavily guarded. The naval units and the Air Force have been strengthened. The United States has also taken precautions. Manila is in a strong state of defence, and reeentty Britain, America, and the Dutch East Indies have entered into an agreement of mutual defence. And finally Chiang Kai Shek, the Chinese Generalissimo has been training troops, estimated at 2,000,000, in the seclusion of North China. These troops are wellequipped with the latest war equipment, and when Spring conies and the weather is more propitious the Chinese will strike and strike Hard. Japan is suffering very severely from the economic pressure exerted by the United States, and is irritated over the help accorded to China by Britain and America. In point of fact, Japan is in a serious plight. Her war with. China, a war in which she expected to be victorious in a few months, has nearly exhausted all her resources, and the Japanese people are becoming restive. The speech of Admiral Baron Osihiu, looks like an effort to revive the morale of the Japanese people. The Admiral must know that to go to war with the two great Democracies would be fatal to Japan. Whatever chances she had, a victorious clash with Britain and America have long since faded away. The United States will not start the conflict, neither will Britain, and, therefore, if Japan wants a fight she must start it. We think Japan will do a lot of thinking before she attempts to go to war with the Democracies. And we can leave it at that. It is a case of Dignity and Impudence.
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Bibliographic details
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13241, 17 January 1941, Page 4
Word Count
514The Bay of Plenty Times FRIDAY, JANUARY 17th, 1941 DIGNITY AND IMPUDENCE Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13241, 17 January 1941, Page 4
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