REGAINING BURMA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 101, 26 October 1942, Page 4

REGAINING BURMA

COMING OFFENSIVE DISCUSSED

LONDON, October 24. i Speculation about the opening of a second front against the Japanese in Burma is livelier since General Wavell's tour, says the New Delhi correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph." Suitable campaigning weather will last till May, but any effective Allied offensive must be opened long before then. The Japanese are apparently keeping a strong holding force in Burma, where they have established formidable defences. No one now thinks in terms of countering the new Japanese offensive. The question, "When will it be?" now refers to the British attack against the Japanese, instead of the Japanese invasion of India. The Assam correspondent of the "Daily Mail" says that the British and American air forces based in India are carrying out extensive operations against Japanese targets in Burma. Transport centres as well as airfields are being plastered. An air communique issued in New Delhi today states that R.A.F. bombers yesterday attacked lower Burma, bombs being dropped on aerodromes and an enemy-occupied village in the Akyab area on the coast. Bombs were seen to burst on the waterfront and fires were left burning.

"Japan intends to hold her new empire no matter what happens in Europe," says Joseph Harsch, writing in the "Christian Science Monitor." "It would be the height of foolish optimism to assume that Germany and Japan will collapse just because they have lost military momentum.

"When Germany and Japan are approaching exhaustion both might plan to launch a peace drive. Japan has often shown greater astuteness than Germany and might launch the drive when she has settled down on her conquests. "In Germany there is always the possibility that the generals will oust Hitler when his dream is proven unattainable and adopt the Japanese plan of a limited objective."