ALLIES’ STRATEGY

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1943, Page 6

ALLIES’ STRATEGY

COMING OFFENSIVES.

NEW YORK, September 25. The Special Commissioner in the Chinese Overseas Ministry, Ya Bock Hwang, predicts that the Allied assault against Burma will open early in October and that the Japanese will be driven out of Burma within two months. The New York “Herald-Tribune says that the Australians and Americans are going to attempt the capture of Rabaul within six weeks, by which time the weather will be favourable for land and sea operations in the Bay of Bengal. General MacArthur, the. paper says, will maintain pressure in the East Indies, while Lord Mountbatten strikes at Simultaneous major developments in the United Nations’ offensive strategy in Europe and Asia are expected within a month, writes the “New York Times” correspondent, Cyrus Sulzburger, from Jerusalem. He says that the Germans are rushing reserves from the Russian and Mediterranean fronts to Western Europe to meet a huge assault which the Allies are preparing to launch from Britain.

COL. KNOX’S REMINDER

LONDON, Sept. 24

Mr, Churchill’s declaration of Britain’s determination to fight in the Pacific has not entirely disposed of American apprehensions, said the United States Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Knox) addressing a Press conference in London.

“You are thoroughly aware of the European war, but you are not nearly so well aware of the equally great war going on a long way from you. I think the reverse is true of Americans.” he said. “Both situations ought to be corrected. Nothing would be more disturbing to American’s growing confidence in the British relationship than for us to feel that once Hitler was disposed of you would feel that the job was done and that the rest could be left to us. That mtist not happen. It is up to the British Press to see that it does not happen.’’

.NEW EXPLOSIVE.

RUGBY, September 26. The Allied nations are using a powerful explosive called “R.D.X.” As an explosive It is not new. It was known in. the early part of the century, but the difficulty has been ■;o make it on anything like a useful, scale. Many r scientists tried to solve the problem, but none succeeded until the British War Office experts found a way just before the present war. A little move than 20 years ago, the armament research department began experiments, and after 16 vears got within measurable distance of success. The final process of filling the shell was going forward when something went wrong. A group of men watching through mirrors from behind a protective wall saw what was happening, and ran into the danger zone to correct it. There was a tremendous explosion which killed five of them. However, the progress made was not lost, and as a result of more experiments the Allies are now able to produce R.D.X. in ever-growing quantities. This explosive is more power jul (han T.N.T. , . „ , R.D.X. is being made m Canada, and the United States, and m both countries great progress has been made. , , , The explosive can be produced there more simply and more cheaply than anywhere else. Zill the united Nations will share its benefits.