STRATEGY NORTH OF AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23752, 25 September 1942, Page 5

STRATEGY NORTH OF AUSTRALIA

JAPANESE NEED OF AIR BASES

RELATION OF SOLOMONS TO NEW GUINEA

(Special Australian Corresp,. N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) . SYDNEY. Sept 24. A warning against underestimating the air strength which Japan can bring to bear in the south-west Pacific is given to-day by the military correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald.” He says: “While it is clear that the Allies have established and maintained effective aerial superiority along the whole of the northern front during the last few weeks, the public should not believe that aerial superiority in itself can gain victory in the battle for New Guinea. However, it should provide conditions under which the land forces will be able to triumph.” Commenting that naval manoeuvres must always be limited by the operating power of land-based bombers and torpedo-carrying aircraft, the same correspondent declares: “All_ Pacific strategy must be attuned to this fundamental fact. For this reason the Japanese must intensify their ground efforts to capture the Guadalcanar aerodrome."

The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” points out that both Rekata Bay and Gizo Island, in. the Solomons, which have been bombed and strafed by Flying Fortresses, lie along the route between Guadalcanar and Rabaul, the major Japanese base in New Britain. Intermediate Bases

The correspondent adds that American bombers are attacking intermediate bases, including storage dumps and troop assembly stations from whicn the Japanese might launch more landing parties like those that have been harassing Guadalcanar. “If aeroplanes could put the enemy’s intermediate depots out of commission within a 200-mile radius of Guadalcanar,” he says, “they would prevent invasion forces assembling within the distance which is able to be traversed by barges overnight, and they would also prevent the maintenance of supply depots for small Japanese bombers and fighters within striking distance of Guadalcanar. Thus the Japanese would be forced to rely on heavy ocean transport involving major fleet operations to take substantial striking forces into the Guadalcanar area, thereby running the gauntlet of American bombers without the protection of Japanese land-based fighters.” The “New York Times” also emphasises that the Solomons operations must be viewed parallel with activities in New Guinea. The Japanese advance there has apparently reached a point where the conquest of the island can be accomplished .-only if the Japanese attack Port Moresby from the sea, thereby cutting the flow of Allied supplies from Australia. Because of the location of the Solomons relative to Australia and New Guinea, the Japanese can threaten Port Moresby only by reducing the American-held positions in the Solomons and regaining control of the air by recapturing the airfield on Guadalcanar, Officials in New York admit that the task confronting the Japanese is difficult, but they are convinced that the Japanese will make the attempt, probably through a manoeuvre involving surprise. The losses they have already suffered in their efforts to recapture the Solomons have obviously forced the Japanese to reconsider their plans—adelay that has been extremely valuable to the American forces—but it is generally felt that the longer the delay the greater will be the strength of the Japanese blow.

U.S. SUCCESSES IN SOLOMONS REINFORCEMENT OP BASES NEW VOttK, Sept. 22, The correspondent of the United Press of America at the headquarters of the United States marines in the Solomons states' that a steady stream of men and supplies is pouring into the expanding United Nations bases in the Solomons, reinforcing the marines who, during the first month of their occupation, killed or captured 3700 Japanese in the Tulagi and Guadalcanar areas alone.

The United States forces have either sunk or damaged 20 Japanese ships, including a light cruiser and three large destroyers, and they have also destroyed 44 Zeros, 27 bombers, and two observation aeroplanes. The marines have lost 20 aeroplanes, from which several pilots were saved. The marines’ biggest victory was in the battle of Tenaru River on August 21-22, when they killed 870 of the Japanese landing force. The marines’ losses were 34 killed and 75 wounded.

The correspondent says that there were indications that the Japanese had built up a large occupation force on the eastern tip of the island. Rubber boats, launches, barges, and rafts showed that the Japanese had landed periodically under cover of darkness with large supplies.

The marines caught the enemy so completely by surprise that the Japanese fled in disorder, even abandoning their packs in well-fortified positions, as well several pieces of field artillery. The marines’ attack was made under a canopy of aeroplanes supported by naval gunfire. The lack of organised resistance by the numerically superior Japanese is partly explained by the presence of a large United Nations convoy, giving the impression that a huge armada was preparing to land thousands of troops.

ALLIED OFFENSIVE IN NEW GUINEA

OUTFLANKING MOVEMENT URGED (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 24. An outflanking movement to smash the Japanese supply lines behind the Owen Stanley range is urged by Mr W. M. Hughes, Deputy-Leader of the Opposition. “The war in New Guinea will not be won merely by Allied troops holding their own against the Japanese,” says Mr Hughes. “That can produce at best a dangerous stalemate. "The Japanese must be driven back so they cannot continue to menace Port Moresby. An offensive must be carried out, primarily to smash the enemy’s supply lines behind his forward forces on the Owen Stanley range. Air activity to smash the supply lines is not enough. “The offyisive must be a combined one. Men must be placed in adequate numbers, with proper support, well behind the enemy lines.” LENGTH OF WAR WITH JAPAN (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 23. Mr W. G. Magnuson, a member of the United States Congress, said: “An American victory over Japan will not be won until long after the European war is over.” He added that the Americans and Japanese in the Aleutians were not very active, “but one side or the other is going to start moving.” However, dislodging the Japanese from the Aleutians or elsewhere would be an extremely costly and long process, as had been demonstrated in the Solomons. Fighting French Naval Air Force.— The Fighting French are to have a naval air force. This was announced jointly in Washington and London, and it was stated that when French pilots completed their training in the United States they would be equipped with American aircraft.—London. September 23.