LOW COST IN LIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 24, 29 January 1943, Page 5

LOW COST IN LIVES

ALLIED CAMPAIGN IN PAPUA

SYDNEY, January 28. Two > Japanese soldiers have been lost for every Allied soldier who fell in the Papuan campaign. The Allied figures of losses take into account not merely men killed and wounded, but also those withdrawn from the battle because of sickness. Our losses in the air, compared with . those of the Japanese, were even lower than those on land, and at sea our casualties were negligible. This satisfactory balance-sheet for the Papuan campaign is part, of today's communique from General Mac- | Arthur's headquarters. No actual figures of losses are given. The official statement declares: "These figures reverse the usual results of a ground offensive campaign, especially against prepared positions defended to the last, when the losses of the attacker are usually several times those of the defender. Two factors contributed to this result: (1) There was no necessity to hurry our attack, because the time element in this case was of little importance. (2) For this reason no attempt was made to rush the positions by mass and unprepared assault. The utmost care was taken with the conservation of our forces, with the result that probably no campaign in history against such a thoroughly prepared and trained army has produced such complete and decisive results with- a lower ex<penditure of life and resources'."