EMPTY VICTORY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1942, Page 5

EMPTY VICTORY

OCCUPATION OF BALI

BATAVIA, February; 23.

An official communique issued in Batavia,. while admitting that the Japanese have over-run part of the island and occupied the aerodrome at Den Passar, says that a strong; naval and air offensive against the enemy's expeditionary fleet has been so successful that not a single warship or transport remained near Bali to give the troops which have already landed support or supplies. The Netherlands Government Information Bureau in London says that the magnificent successes of the Allied naval and air forces justify the- belief that the conquest of Bali will mean to the Japanese as empty a victory as the conquest of the burning towns oi! Tarakan, Balik Papan, and Palembang. The attack on Bali is considered to be a preliminary to a large-scale assault on Java, which is separated, from Bali, by a strait only a mile wide. AERIAL BLITZ SOON. With the loss of Den Passar aerodrome, and the Japanese occupation of South Sumatra, Java may expect a terrific aerial blitz within a few days. Already attacks have been intensified. The Dutch communique reports that during the whole of yesterday Japanese planes were extremely active in bombing and machine-gunning many aerodromes in Java. Buirtenzorg, Djok Jakarta, Surabaya, and Malang were attacked and some damage done. Three or four Japanese fighters were shot down. . '

There is no news of the fighting in Timor beyond the bare official announcement that Japanese troops attacked Kupang and that strong resistance is continuing.