ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 137, 12 June 1942, Page 4

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

JAP LANDING DENIED

WASHING-TON, June 1L Washington newspapers say that the battle for the Aleutian Islands is continuing and express the view thai the islands will be in the hews for many weeks. , , A spokesman of the Navy Department, commenting on a Tokio claim that Japanese troops have been landed in the Aleutians, said: "None of our inhabited areas—islands or rocks-—have been troubled with uninvited guests up to the present." ' ... The spokesman added that he had no knowledge of any Japanese being on Alaskan soil. Naval observers in Washington doubt if Japanese occupation of any of the Aleutian islands' Would.present any important threat to the American mainland, since few,: if v any, are suitable for the operation of land-based planes.' ,'. ,''.. "... Captain Hiraide, the Japanese naval spokesman, developing his statement that Japanese forces would be able to occupy, the western Aleutian Islands because "the enemy was unable to send strong reinforcements, on "account of the. strong Japanese attack on Midway Island," claimed that, the Japanese attacks on Dutch Harbour and Midway were effective blows against the American continent;. at one stroke extending Japan's defensive waters-2500 nautical mile's eastward. . - \ < JAPANESE STRATEGY. | Admiral Yamamoto's strategy irj the j Pacific, Captain Hiraide said, had been to destroy the enemy aircraft-carriers, and with this purpose he attacktsd Midway, catching .an - enemy . naval unit consisting of carriers of the Enterprise and Hornet types. j Hiraide asserted that, the Japanese! action against the Aleutians had destroyed a base, from which the enemy might have attacked Japan.

Referring Xo ithe loss of a Japanese aircraft-carrier, he declared: "The Japanese, navy never loses a ship without inflicting heavier damage on the enemy. The Japanese' navy's purpose was to destroy the remaining-enemy aircraft-carriers. This task has been accomplished; in spite of- casualties. The navy's aims have been fulfilled.

: "The naval operations have crossed the international date line arid entered the Pacific area, and the occupation of the western Aleutian Islands has pointed a sword at the enemy's throat." V ""