SOUTHERN APPROACH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 3, 3 July 1943, Page 5

SOUTHERN APPROACH

STRATEGY UNDER TEST NEW YORK, July 2. "A major and difficult campaign has begun in the South Pacific," says the "New York Times" military editor, Hanson Baldwin. His emphasis on the difficulties which the Allies face is supported by war correspondents in the South Pacific, who say that this is definitely not a grand offensive ivhich will carry the Allies to Tokio. They issue cautions against the over-onthnism which attended the first Solomons campaign, and say that the Japanese are certain to have prepared vigorous resistance. The Allied move is seen as a limited

offensive to push the Japanese away from the America-Australia supply route, and consolidate the arc of Allied bastions protecting Australia and New Zealand. "Easy initial occupations are no index of what is to come," says Mr. Baldwin. "They were virtually unopposed, but the Japanese strength at Munda and Vila is estimated to be 20,000 men. The Solomons are . be- i lieved to be manned by the 17th army, j totalling from 32,p00> to 40,000, with 38,000 more garrisoned at Rabaul. "The Japanese made good use of the interlude after our move into the Solomons last August. As well as strengthen- j ing their airfield chain,, they:, have-pro-bably built up the garrisons flanking General Mac Arthur's, positions at Port ! Moresby, Gona, Milne Bay, the TroI briands, and Woodlark. There*are probably 15,000 to 25,000 Japanese at Wewak, and 6000 to 12,000 at Madarig.. "The next few weeks may indicate the future Allied strategy in the Pacific. .If the campaign moves smoothly; and rapdily, champions of the. South Pacific approach to Japan' will have been justified. But'if it bogs down as at Guadalcanal, the strategy must be reassessed and another approach to Japan made than that from the south."