WAR IN PACIFIC

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23948, 15 May 1943, Page 5

WAR IN PACIFIC

INDICATIONS OF NEW PHASE CONFERENCE BETWEEN COMMANDERS (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK, May 13. The commander of the South Pacific area, Admiral William F. Halsey, has returned to an advanced south Pacific base after conferring with the Com-mander-in-chief in the south-west Pacific (General Douglas Mac Arthur). Observers agree that the conference may herald a new phase in the Pacific war. “Do not expect war-winning maacles. But flow the Japanese have been halted we are not going to slack on our oars.’’ An Australian war correspondent in the south Pacific area gives this official summing up of the outcome of the conference between General Mac Arthur and Admiral Halsey. Plans for pooling all the means of war at their disposal are reported to have been mapped out by the two commanders. Details are being worked out in continuing conferences between representatives of both commands. Offensive Moves Although no official comment has been made, it is believed that the meet, ing of General Mac Arthur and Admiral Halsey was related directly to Allied offensive moves in the Pacific, particularly to operations in the New GuineaSolomons area. Commentators point out that both commanders advocate attack as the first principle of warfare, “Their purpose apparently is to use everything available to win as quickly as possible without undue sacrifice or reckless jeopardy of the present positions or future chances,” writes the correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain, “One clear outcome is that General Mac Arthur is and always has been the commander-in-chief for both offensive and defensive operations in the New Guinea-Solomons area.’’ “Admiral Halsey’s visit was in the nature of paying a personal visit to his boss,” states one correspondent. “He did not do so earlier because he has been too busy fighting a war.”. An administrative evolution rather than sensational changes in commands is reported to have been the outcome of the conference, which is generally regarded as signalising a new and hopeful. phase in the Pacific war. Combined Operations An interpretation of the present command position is given in the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” to-day by a \yar correspondent, who writes: “The forces at present congregated in the south Pacific area constitute a floating pool of strength which, when used by General Mac Arthur for combined operations to the north-east of Australia, will be entirely under his command. When they are required by the United States Navy commander in the Pacific (Admiral Chester W. Nimitz) for the development of the wider strategy, they will be under Admiral Nimitz for tactical distribution. Admiral Halsey’s position is presumably that of an admiral responsible for the co-ordination of the entire floating force in the southwest Pacific area, and the tasks allotted it by GCheral Mac Arthur or Admiral Nimitz, also entirely for naval operations undertaken for whatever purpose in the south Pacific Ocean area.” It is emphasised that full co-opera-tion between the forces of General Mac Arthur and Admiral Halsey has always existed. The conference makes it clear that there are no strategic differences between the broad New Guinea and Solomons areas. It also stresses the unprecedented degree of co-ordination required for the land, sea, and air forces to achieve satisfactory results. War correspondents reiterate that the first major Allied offensive move must logically be directed at Rabaul, in New Britain. “It is encouraging,” writes a correspondent, “to have an official assurance that in such a perilous and extremely difficult operation complete unity of command will exist in the disposition of forces.”