MARSHALL ISLANDS

Evening Star, Issue 25046, 13 December 1943, Page 4

MARSHALL ISLANDS

POSSIBLE U.S. INVASION EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TASK NEW YO!RK. December 12. Devastating attacks by powerful 'American naval task forces presage, tins early invasion of the Marshall Islands, says the Washington correspondent of the 'New York Times.' Navy and army authorities, however", take an extremely sober■'view of the task of winning the Marshals, pointing out that it would \>a the first invasion of what might be called Japanese soil. The Americans' great strategical advantage lies iu their p6wer of offensive. For.over a year, experts point, out. the Japanese have had scores of bases to defend, and must keep * their forces divided, whereas the Allies are free to concentrate over-

whelmingly against chosen objectives. Naval circles in Washington are exultant at the manner in which Admiral

Nimitz's surface units and carrier-

based planes are whittling down the ' Japanese in the Central Pacific. At the same time, certain Washington' authorities refuse to accent the theory of Japan being at bay.> For example. the War Department's official viewpaint apparently depicts a strong cen-tral-Japan, hcayily protected by interlocking bases and- iuterior lines of supply. ■': However, it: is impossible to determine how much of this view is an actual strategic conviction and, how much tempered by the psychological belief that the American public should expect the. worst in the Pacific. ; .