MOPPING UP ON OKINAWA

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24600, 23 June 1945, Page 7

MOPPING UP ON OKINAWA

Civilians Hamper Operations

LOSSES REPORTED IN COMMUNIQUE

(NX Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.5) WASHINGTON, June 21. "After completing the destruction of the enpmy’s major defences on Okinawa to-day the 10th Army began mopping up operations in the area of Me-: deera and Mabuni, where small pockets of resistance are still holding out,” states; Admiral Nimitz’s communique. “All operations were impeded by large numbers of civilians passing through opr forces. “Japanese soldiers are surrendering in groups, in some cases led by their officers. It is estimated that 1700 were taken prisoners during,the day,’bringing the total captured on Okinawa to 4000. “Along the island’s southern coast, numerous Japanese are reported to be drowning themselves in the ocean. The Bth Marine Division reported that organised resistance in their zone ceased at 1027 ajn. on Thursday. The 96th Infantry Division attacked the Medeera area during the day but was hampered in its operations by large numbers of civilians moving through the lines. Some enemy soldiers were mingling with the civilians in attempts to escape from the southern area. The 7th Infantry Division is engaged in mopping up in the Mabuniudo area. .“It is estimated that 90,401 Japanese were killed on Okinawa to June 20. The total of our Army and Marine casualties to June 19 was 6990 killed and missing, 29,598 wounded.” Mr Truman has issued a grim warning to the Japanese, saying that they could look- forward to more battles, all with the same result as Okinawa —victory for the Allies. The United States Under-Secretary of War (Mr Robert Patterson) said that the cost of taking Okinawa had not been heavy, considering the ports and airfields captured and the damage done to the Japanese navy and industry. For every American killed oh the ground, 10 Japanese died, he said. Eighty-five American ships were sunk or damaged, but no major unit had been sunk. The correspondent of the Associated Press on Guam states that the conquest of Okinawa was the longefst and most costly of all campaigns in thb Central and Western Pacific and with the casualty figures still incomplete, the Americans lost approximately 10.000 killed and 27,000 wounded. America, however, has won a priceless springboard for the final attack on the enemy homeland.

HEAVY RAID ON HONSHU

THOUSANDS OF'TONS OF BOMBS DROPPED WASHINGTON. June 22. The 20th United States Army Air Force has, announced a very largescale Superfortress attack against the main Japanese island of Honshu in daylight to-day, dropping thousands of tons of heavy explosives. The Guam correspondent of the Associated Press says that, flying in clear weather, 450 Superfortresses dropped high explosives on the Kure naval arsenal, the Mitsubishi and Kawasaki aircraft plant, and Kamamigahara, 20 miles north of Nagoya.

RAID ON SUMATRA REPORTED

(Rec. 12.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 22. The Tokyo radio says carrier aeroplanes attacked Medan, in Sumatra, for 35 minutes on Wednesday and did little mischief. One was shot down.

TWO AMERICAN AIR FORCES

STRATEGIC BOMBING OF JAPAN

DOOLITTLE AND ARNOLD AS LEADERS WASHINGTON, June 21.. The strategic bombing of Japan will be carried out by two separate heavy bombardment forces —the Bth, which he commands, and the 20th, under General Arnold, said General James Doolittle, chief of the Bth Air Force, which is at present being redeployed to the Pacific. Asked whether the Bth Air Force would use only Superfortresses, as uSed by the 20th Air Force, General Doolittle said: “The decision at presept is to use Superfortresses and such other aeroplanes as are needed,” General' Doolittle said that he believed Japan will be easier to destroy industrially than Germany because: (1) there is a greater concentration of industry; (2) the targets are, more inflammable; (3) the war economy and industry have not had tune to put factories underground as the Germans were doing during the closing stages of the war. General Doolittle, who led the first bombing raid over Tokyo in 1942, said that he did not expect to fly over Tokyo again until the job is done. “I should not like to fall into Japanese hands,” he said. He explained that there is a standing order against any officer who has a knowledge of future strategic plans allowing himself to get into, a position where he might fall into the enemy’s hands. When asked to comment on the recent statement by General Arnold that there would be nothing left to bomb by 1946, General Doolittle sdid: “We will be able to finish the job twice as quickly.” General Doolittle expects to go to the Pacific shortly. Vice-Admiral Mitscher, addressing a press conference at Portland, Oregon, said: “We will have to burn up the Japanese, and I mean burn. They are like a lot of moles. Give them a hill of any size and they will dig a hole and hole up. They have done it on every island we have taken. I am sure that they will do so on their mainland. We can plaster them with bombs and shells, levelling everything on the earth, but they will still be underground.”

CHINESE COASTAL DRIVE

CHUNGKING, June 21.‘ The Chinese driving toward Hangchow Bay have crossed the Wu river and advanced 31 miles beyond Wenchow against fitful resistance from the rapidly withdrawing enemy, states the correspondent of the United Press. With the exception of a halfhearted, futile attempt to check the Chinese coastal drive with a sea-borne relief force shortly after the fall of Foochow in May, the Japanese have made no apparent move to reduce the threat to their vital Hangchow Bay front, through which was funnelled much of their vital material. The Japanese coastal garrisons continue to withdraw toward the tough defensive system around Ningpo. It now appears that the entire coastline below that point, except for the heavily fortified Canton and Hong Kong area, may be Abandoned. A Chinese communique states that the Chinese are fighting in the suburbs of Lluchow.