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JAP DISAPPOINTMENT

; : Enemy Proying Tough

LONDON, October 4. The people of Japan were told some things today in a broadcast ":by the President of Tokio Imperial '■- University, who spoke on a home .programme. , -.'. He said that it had been found that "this great war" could not be ••„ disposed of as easily or as quickly as they had thought at the beginning. / Contrary to expectations, the ~ enemy was fighting back, and were , now fighting with their whole hearts.

~ The Chinese were no easy oppon- , ents, and America was mobilising her material resources.

~: tralians to advance till supply difiicul- "'. ties become equalised, when they will cftoose their ground to offer strong resistance (as the Australians advance, three or four men are required to keep each fighting soldier supplied with food and ammunition). •'*;' Secondly, evidence of the strength - of- Australian offensive has forced "the Japanese commander to make tactical redispositions. This might ■ involve abandonment by, the enemy of ■ the entire ranges area. •' 'Thirdly, the Japanese force has been ..sq. depleted by casualties and supply difficulties that it has been compelled to shorten its lines before making a , stand.. All along the route the advancing Australians have found the •bodies of dead Japanese, most of them . apparently killed in the relentless Allied air strafings. There is also cvi- ... dence that many Japanese have died from; dysentery and tropical illnesses. .Another suggestion is that the Japanese withdrawal is part of a cunning trap designed to lure strong Australian . forces to destruction. But, whatever ,~ ike; reasons for the withdrawal, observers are. unanimous; that at some '■point along the trail to their northern ■ Papuan base at Buna, the Japanese '■ will fight it out and a protracted and z strenuous campaign is inevitable. '.; It must be emphasised that the withdrawing Japanese are still not a beaten enemy. The Australians have to ad- • vance further to regain domination of The'mountin ranges. HARDSHIPS ENDURED. -'•■? The hardships endured by the ad- <■ .vancing Australian troops in the Owen .Stanley Range are greater than those -of any other campaign in which the Commonwealth's soldiers, have fought in this war. The main body moves through the slippery mud of a mountain track impassable even for mule pack teams. On their flanks, deep in the unmapped jungle, protective patrols hack their own trails to forestall possible enemy surprise assaults. Equipment carried is cut to a mini- ' mum. The troops do not carry iron - -rations—-bully beef and biscuits—which iare too weighty, but subsist on light .-• emergency rations of concentrated meat, fruit, and milk. .'.. Army engineers are working day and night to ease the supply difficulties. The road from Port Moresby to the , ranges now ends abruptly at the edge ■or the jungle, close to a sheer cliff. ...rising hundreds of feet. -Only sturdy four-wheel-drive jeeps, .-.■ with chains on the tyres, are able to .travel the last few miles'of■ the road. Here animals are pack-loaded, but ...after a few more miles, the ravines become so steep and deep that native . 7. carriers must. take. over. the. porterage.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19421005.2.69.3

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 83, 5 October 1942, Page 5

Word Count
500

JAP DISAPPOINTMENT Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 83, 5 October 1942, Page 5

JAP DISAPPOINTMENT Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 83, 5 October 1942, Page 5

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