The Press WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1942. Victory in the Solomons

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23798, 18 November 1942, Page 2

The Press WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1942. Victory in the Solomons

Japan’s fifth attempt to dislodge United States forces from the southeastern Solomons has involved her in the most severe defeat she has suffered in this war. Though there are as ye.t no details of the engagement beyond the statement that it lasted three days and was fought at close quarters, it is obvious that the United States Navy has snatched a brilliant victory from a most difficult situation. For several weeks before the present action, all official and semi-official statements from Allied sources had emphasised that the Japanese, because of the nearness of their main bases and because of heavy American naval commitments in other theatres of war, could assemble superior naval forces in the Solomons area and, for that matter, in any part of the south-western Pacific. Thus, the New Zealand Press Association’s correspondent “at a South Pacific “ port,” discussing the repulse of the previous Japanese attempt to reinforce their troops on Guadalcanal', described it as “ a miraculous feat “of arms,” having regard to the numerical odds in the enemy’s favour. The victory of the last few days is even more miraculous when it is remembered that American losses in aircraft-carriers —the most valuable type of naval vessel in this sort of warfare—have lately been heavy. A tentative conclusion must be that the shortage of aircraftcarriers was more than counterbalanced by skilful use of shorebased aircraft, some operating from the Guadalcanar airfield and others from bases under General MacArthur’s command. Another pointer to the nature of the engagement is the heavy American losses in destroyers, which suggest close-range torpedo attacks. Heartening as the victory is, its importance must not be overrated. Japan’s losses are severe enough to blunt her striking force along the whole of the great arc which stretches from the Aleutians to the South Pacific; and it is perhaps unlikely that she will attempt another thrust in the Pacific for many months. But the Kongo class battleships which were the core of the Japanese attacking force in the Solomons are among the oldest capital ships afloat. Japan’s main battle-fleet is scarcely damaged and is strong enough to give her unchallenged naval supremacy in the China Sea, the South China Sea, and the waters adjacent to the Netherlands Indies and the Caroline group. In short, although Japan’s Pacific offensive may be halted, there are as yet no signs that an Allied counter-offen-sive is possible. What is likely to worry the Japanese naval command more than its losses is the proof that American tactical superiority, first demonstrated in the Coral Sea battle, has been maintained and increased. It must know that America’s vastly superior resources of technicians and technical equipment are a guarantee that the margin of superiority will continue to increase. And what will add to the discomfort of the Japanese naval command is th£ knowledge that it has been guilty of a major strategic blunder. In the attempt to eject the Americans from the south-eastern Solomons it threw - away a great opportunity in New Guinea. Less than half the forces it has uspd in fruitless attempts to win back Guadalcanar would have sufficed to overwhelm Australian and American resistance in Papua. Now Papua seems as irretrievably lost as Guadalcanar.