STRATEGICAL PRIZE

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 23, 21 October 1944, Page 7

STRATEGICAL PRIZE

Significant Advantages Of Philippines HARD FIGHTING PROBABLE (By E.A.A.) The Japanese leaders are in the position of having to issue reports of the American landings in the Philippines contradicting their own previous claims that a Japanese naval victory had set back Allied operations in this area' for at least two months. One can well believe that the Japanese will now return to earth with an exceedingly difficult thud. They are left to contemplate not only the growing strength of Allied power in the Pacific, but a very serious threat to Japanese power in the south-west. From the point of view of ground strategy there are three vital areas critical to the Allies. Loss of any involves a staggering blow. Those three areas are Singapore, Red Sea, aud Gibraltar. The fall of Singapore was only made possible by two things—French defection in IndoChina and the loss of the Philippines. The present threat against the Philippines, therefore, looseus the Japanese hold on .Singapore. As the Japanese hold on Singapore relaxes, Japan automatically loses any hold on land and sea areas in its vicinity and west of it. Allied operations against the Nicobar Islands, which Tokio reports to have already taken place, must therefore be interpreted ou this broad field of strategy. The blunt truth ,is that Japan is encountering the first severe threat to the foundations of her home front and newly-acquired empire. The Philippines fit into still another aspect of grand strategy. These islands provide the bottom jaw to a set of pincers the top jaw of which is located in the Aleutians and Alaska. Apart from the aspect of grand strategy, the Philippines have more than ordinary significance in the matter of local strategy. When these islands are securely hold by the Allies, Japanese expansion in the Netherlands Indies is definitely checked. In fact, the loss of the Philippines to the Japanese must: cause their grandiose South-west Pacific empire to wither away. Whoever controls the Philippines controls the routes to that rich area. One may expect, therefore, that Japanese sea-borne traffic southward will then virtually cease, with an increasing load falling upon mainland routes. Effect on Supply Lines.

One can well understand that Japan is making every effort to break down every type of barrier in China in order to effect a land link with outlying areas of the Asiatic mainland in Burma. Malaya and French Indo-China. "Whether or not Japanese efforts in this direction will be successful, the loss of the Philippines cannot but knock Japan’s economic and war machine off its balance. The economic machine is endangered by starvation; the war machine finds itself committed to an unwanted line of action absorbing men and material badly required wherever the Allies should strike next.

From the point of view of American naval and air fleets, the Philippines are of first-rate importance, In this area there can be established naval and air centres required to slage further attacks on the Japanese home defences. From this point of view, the Philippines are of more use than Singapore. Repairs and overhauls, which at present can only be undertaken many thousands of miles 2ast of the advancing amphibious spearheads, will find ready-made centres awaiting them at the end of their long islandhopping campaign. It is obvious that the Japanese authorities will react vigorously to the Allied efforts to occupy the Philippines. One may therefore expect heavy fighting. Furthermore, the prize is such that it is worthy of employment of every means within the power of the Japanese to deny it to the Allies. Failure to employ their main fleet would, indeed, have, psychological repercussions in Japan itself, tending Io increase rather limn diminish subsequent problems when the attack on Japan proper is set in train.