SOLOMON ISLANDS BATTLE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23716, 14 August 1942, Page 5

SOLOMON ISLANDS BATTLE

U.S. Forces Moving Inland

PARATROOPS IN ACTION

(Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received August 13, 11.10 p.m.) (N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, August 13. News from the Solomon Islands is believed here to be more encouraging than for the last few days. The atmosphere at General MacArthur’s South-west Pacific headquarters has been one of expectant waiting. However, the battle is said to show no signs of ending, and there is no indication of the position becoming stabilised. American forces are moving inland in the Tulagi area and are now locked in fierce hand-to-hand fighting with Japanese troops. The Washington correspondent of' the Australian Broadcasting Commission says American paratroops are being employed to harass Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands. Battleships and air-craft-carriers are understood to be involved in the battle, as well as cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and troop transports. American reports indicate that Allied naval units are«till off the coast. This indicates that Allied superiority is being maintained, since it would be impossible for ships to operate close inshore for long periods without air control.

The impression that the Allied position in the Solomon Islands battle has improved in the last 24 hours is recorded by the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s observer at an advanced base. The feeling in Australia is that the Japanese hold on Tulagi has been weakened. The original Allied landing parties have been strongly reinfoi'ced. '

A United States Navy communique states that operations in the Solomon Islands arg progressing. It is confirmed that United States marines landed as scheduled on three islands in the vicinity of Tulagi. The marines are now engaged in consolidating these positions. The supporting naval forces have been engaged in bitter fighting, details of which are not yet available. United States Army and Australian aeroplanes are continuing attacks on enemy landing fields and shore-based aircraft.

There is substantial evidence that the Japanese planned and had well under way the development of an enemy base in the Tulagi area. ’ Until more details are available, it will be impossible to elaborate further on these operations. All available 1 comipunications facilities are overtaxed by urgent messages concerning the operations.

The San Francisco radio reports that the Japanese are said to have launched a heavy counter-attack. The Tokyo radio broadcast a Domei News Agency report, allegedly based on information obtained from Captain Kamada, Japanese naval spokesman at Shanghai, which pictured the battle of the Solomon Islands as a struggle fought at such close quarters that the rival warships actually collided. ,Th,e, report persisted in the fiction that the; battle ended after one night. Captain* Kamada claimed a victory for the Japanese, attributing it partly to the poor training of the American troops in night fighting, and partly to the surprise of the Americans when they met Japanese naval as well as air forces. Success of Allied Air Action Allied heavy bombers left a 15,000ton Japanese ship in flames, another large vessel sinking, and two medium ships listing and ablaze in their latest day attack on Eabaul harbour. This crippling blow was delivered on the seventh successive day of concentrated Allied air attacks on potential enemy reinforcement points for the Solomon Islands. Allied bombers have sunk or severely damaged five Japanese ships in the last two days. All the Allied aeroplanes returned safely from the latest smashing raid on Rabaul harbour. They were intercepted by a flight of enemy fighters, one of which was shot down, and three to six others hit and damaged. Shipping and installations at enemy island bases in the Banda sea were attacked by Allied medium bombers. The results are not known. Other enemy shipping off the south coast of Timor was also attacked, but again the results are not known. Judgment Still Reserved War correspondents at General MacArthur’s headquarters say that judgment on the Solomon Islands operation must be reserved until it is sure that the gains we have made have been con-

solidated beyond the possibility of repulse. The only facts definitely known from official communiques are that the Allies have established bridgeheads id the Tulagi area, and that each side has sustained losses. The Allied land gains have not been specified, but a hopeful note begins to appear in the communiques. The military view Is that a reasonable cost does not count if the objec- / tive is gained, but in long-range' strategy it is inevitable that results must be assessed in relation to losses. The basis for this assessment is not ship for ship, or aeroplane for aeroplane, or man for man, but the capacity of the oppoing forces to withstand and recover irorh those losses. An American Associated Press correspondent at Honolulu describes the attack as “the beginning of a continuous campaign which, owing to its amphibious nature, will appear to be a sequence of piecemeal and separate operations." He quotes a military observer as agreeing that the United Nations’ offensive in the South-west Pacific will be “long and bitter." Possible Stages in Battle. An. interesting conjecture about th* course of the Solomon Islands battle is offered by, the Washington cotrea- £ Undent of the. New York “Herald Triune,’,’ , : ;,',QuQtjrig„an unnamed naval officer, 1 ;he.s?y£ the. action may have taken the following form since Friday:— . First, the bombardment of enemy aerodromes by Army and Navy bombers and torpedo aeroplanes. ' Second, the struggle for air supremacy. Third, the advance by the heaviest American surface units adding their gunfire barrage to the aerial bombardment, and helping to provide a protect tive curtain for the landing troops. Fourth, a possible paratroop tending to aid the commandos from the transports and barges* Fifth, the shelling of enemy air and troop bases by cruisers and destroyers plunging towards the shore under an umbrella of aerial „nd naval fire. 1 Sixth, aircraft-carriers standing by, with battleships, cruisers, and destroyers between them and the enemy, and sending aeroplanes repeatedly against the Japanese. / Pacific Council Meeting At a meeting of the Pacific War Council at White House, the Solomons battle was- principally discussed. Dr. V. Soong, for China, said that China was much encouraged by the offensive. He added that the available news of the action was limited. After the meeting members of the council stated that they mew nothing more of the engagement tnan had been made public. The Australian Minister to Washington (Sir Owen Dixon) remained with Mr Roosevelt for an additional conference after the other members had left The, reason for this conference was not disclosed. •

NAVAL BATTLE DEVELOPS

STRONG JAPANESE RESISTANCE

GERMAN VIEW OF ACTION (Special Australian Correspondent)' (Received August 14, 1.45 a.m.)

(N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, August 13. A great naval battle has again developed in the Solomon Islands, according to an Australian Broadcasting Commission report. It is believed that the action is progressing satisfactorily for the Allies, in spite of determined Japanese efforts to drive off the Allied fleet support. Meanwhile, United States marines are forcing their way inland on Tulagi, Florida, and a third unnamed island, either Guadalcanar or Makambo. Australian and American aircraft of the South-west Pacific Command continue to devastate enemy aerodromes and harass enemy shipping It was revealed at General MaoArthur’s headquarters to-day that reconnaissance in recent days had shown considerable enemy shipping concentrations in the Rabaul area. While their purpose is not definitely known, these concentrations were close enough to the Solomon Islands to have been intended to reinforce the Japanese there. The successful attacks announced in the latest communique were made by Flying Fortresses.

With the Allied invasion force striking harder and still harder blows, Tokvo is hedging about the battle. An official broadcast promise-' details of the fighting within 24 hours. ( The German naval spokesman. Admiral Luetzow, speaking on the Berlin radio, belittled the importance of the Solomon Islands fighting. He described the Allied attack as merely an offensive action to protect American shipping lanes to Australia. Informed observers believe that while Allied ship and personnel losses may be high, the offehsive is proceeding favourably. It is pointed out that security for Allied communications in the Pacific, and eventual security against attack for Australia and New Zealand, are worth a high cost. American opinion on the action continues to be widely quoted in Australia. Major Fielding Eliot says: “Whether it succeeds or fails the Solomon Islands operation will tend to check Japanese freedom of action, not

only against Siberia, but also in China and on the frontier of India. Tire Japanese air force is not large enough to provide for full-scale operations in all these theatres.”

“Pertinax,” the fornvpr French commentator, now in America, declares: ‘“August 15 was mentioned in many diplomatic dispatches as the date Japan was likely to select for a blow against Siberia.” He says the offensive in the Solomon Islands may have been timed to make General Tojo think twice before shouldering the task.

SOUTH AMERICAN FEARS

JAPANESE INTENTIONS

RIO DE JANEIRO, August 12. . South American diplomats and nationals are returning from Japan, fearing their continent may be next on Japans invasion time-table if eastern Australia falls. Peruvians, Colombians, Ecuadorians are especially strong ,n . this conviction, because their countries lie on the western coast of South America. The diplomats are expected to relay their fears to Washington through their respective governments in the hope that the United States will dispatch greater aid to Australia. South Americans believe that Japan intends to seize eastern Australia and then strike eastward from her bases towards New Zealand and other Islands, such as Fiji and Samoa, hoping eventually to reach the South American coast.

Chile’s long coast liqe is vulnerable. Peru has a large Japanese settlement. A foothold anywhere on the coast would then enable Japan to strike forward to the Panama Canal.

SMALLPOX OUTBREAK IN

BRITAIN LONDON. August 12. Sir Wilson Jameson. Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health, has issued a statement, saying: “We have been fortunate regarding an outbreak of smallpox in Britain. There have been 41 cases and eight deaths. All the cases except four occurred in the Glasgow area. "The smallpox was of a very bad type. It says a great deal for the way m which the outbreak was handled that it did not spread more." Sir Willian Jameson added that the Government was highly satisfied with the nation’s health generally.