STAYING POWER

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 3, 29 September 1942, Page 5

STAYING POWER

Allied Preparations

For Attack WAVELL INTERVIEWED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 27. Discussing the.war situation, the Comma nder-in-Ohief in India, General Wavell, disclosed in an interview in New Delhi today that he has been planning the reoccupation of Burma ever since it was lost. He said it must be retaken in order to obtain positions from which to take the Japaneseoccupied bases, and also for a drive on the Japanese themselves. He did hot think that Japan was strong enough m the air to take on a campaign on three fronts —India, China and Australia—while haying a strong force lh Japan and having to guard against a potential enemy in Siberia. General Wavell said he did not quite know what the Japanese were planning. Like a boa constrictor that had swallowed a goat, they needed time to digest what they Had seized; He did not think that at pre-, sent Japan wanted to attack India or Australia The Indian theatre of war was feeling the effect of the battle of the seas, but he was getting supplies and building up as quickly as possible. Dealing with the second front possibilities, General Wavell said: “Whatever happens, the Russians are going to hold on, and we are going to open il second front as soon, as we, can.” He admitted thatithere were still five weeks of the best campaigning weather ahead in Russia, and be wtirned against complacency in considering the winter fighting. But he was not pessimistic about the chances of Stalingrad’s surviving. Referring to the situation in Germany,, he said the effect of the heavy and damaging air raids on the German morale was conjectural, but the enemy knew that the menace , was growing. “It is spirit nnd staying power that win,” he concluded. “We will never give in. The United States and Russia will never give in.”