WANING JAPANESE POWER

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 5

WANING JAPANESE POWER

MacArthur’s Estimate (Received August 10, 5 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 9. General MacArthur’s statement of the certainty of an Allied victory in the Pacific is the nio.st optimistic he has made since coming to Australia 17 months ago. The statement is interpreted as meaning that though the turning point is definitely past the time needed for victory will depend on the means provided. A spokesman at General MacArthur’s headquarters said that the successes referred to in the statement dated from the announcement on March 1 that the enemy had taken up “a position in readiness.” The landmarks in the chain of Allied successes since March 1 were tiie Bismarck Sea battle, on March 3 and 4 which was probably the turning point in the Japanese southward advance: the repulse of the enemy attacks on Wau, in central New Guinea in the middle _ of May: the occupation of Rendova, Kiriwina, and the Woodlark Islands beginning on June 30: the taking of Mubo, northern New Guinea on July 14: and several naval actions through the whole period as well as air actions, from Sourabaya, Java, to Kavieng, New Ireland, and the New Georgia Group. In a succession of defeats during the past five months the Japanese have sustained heavy naval and air losses. The Allied round-the-clock bombing has disrupted their supply movement on a front extending from Sourabaya to the Solomons. Ineffective resistance to the latest American Central Solomons thrust is interpreted as evidence of waning Japanese power in certain categories. Vella Gulf Action. General MacArthur has sent a message to Admiral Halsey congratulating him on the newest Allied naval victory. lie said: “Please express to the commanders and all ranks and ratings of the task force engaged my admiration for their brilliant action in the Vella Gulf. It was but further evidence of the magnificent fighting qualities of our naval forces.” The constant night attempts by small destroyer forces to run the Allied blockade in the Solomons suggest that if Japan is not yet seriously short of naval and mercantile power at least she lacks the air resources to give her ships adequate protection. Rarely during recent months have the Japanese been able to match the Allied air forces numerically in combat. Some commentators suggest that the apparent inability of the Japanese to produce new plane types to meet the rising quality of Allied aircraft indicates serious factory deficiencies. Air. Curtin has now said that he does not think it is possible for Japan to bomb Australian cities from aircraft-carriers since -th,. Allied air and naval strength is sufficient to ensure interception of them. He added that the responsibility rests on the Allied commanders in the Pacific, as soon as file requisite strength is available, to launch a series of limited offensives against the Japanese in order to drive them back and increase the security of the Allied territories.