AMERICAN FORCES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21633, 9 February 1945, Page 3

AMERICAN FORCES

THRUST FROM MANILA

CITY'S CHINATOWN RAZED (11 a.in.) NEW YORK, Feb. 8. The Americans have crossed the Pasig River, which bisects the city oi' Manila, reports the National Broadcasting Company's correspondent in Manila. Pressure against the Japanese is being applied from the east, north and south. The Japanese have levelled practically half of Chinatown, one of Manila’s most heavily populated and oldest districts. Many Chinese perished in the raging fire. Looting is adding to Manila’s suffering. with walls and flooring and even iron roofing being carried away. The Tokio radio declared that Japan cannot afford to lose the Philippines and survive as a nation. “If General Yamashita plans to retire to the southern part of Luzon, he can depend on the navy to protect his flanks and keep him in operational contact with the Japanese-held islands southwards,” said the announcer. “Such a withdrawal should be considered a strategic realignment aimed at consolidating the foundations for final victory, while the American withdrawal in 1942 was a desperate move to stave off final defeat. It is sheer nonsense for the Americans to talk ol having won the battle of the Philippines or General MacArthur talking of Tokio as the next goal.” The 37 th Infantry and First Cavalry Divisions have cleared north Manila and Quezon City, says General MacArthur's communique. In south , Manila, the 11th Airborne Division continued mopping up in the vicinity of Nichols Field. All bridges over the Pasig River were blown up by enemy elements. The 32nd Division cut the Balete Pass road to Cagayan Valley, 24 miles northward of San Jose. The Sixth and 25th Divisions made steady progress in attacks against Lupao and Munoz and along the San Jose road. Forward elements are operating in the vicinity of Rizal, nine miles southeastward of San Jose. Enemy tanks and many heavily defended pillboxes were destroyed or captured in this area.

"Patrol planes in low-level sweeps along the east coast sank 28 enemy barges and several speedboats.

“Enemy casualties in four weeks' campaign are approximately 48,000. Our casualties are 1609 killed, 191 missing and 5276 wounded. “We bombed Corrcgidor and Caballo Island and Chague in Cagayan Valley. Light naval units at night shelled enemy positions on the north coast of Cebu Island. Patrol planes bombed the boat yards at Zamboanga, on Mindanao, and targets of opportunity in the Sulu Archipelago, started fires on Tainan aerodrome, bombed the waterfront at Kirun in Formosa, destroyed buildings on Rasa Island, south-eastward of Okinawa, and attacked shipping in the Sakishima Group, sinking a 1000ton freighter and setting fire to another. Escorted units struck at the Manggar and Sepinggan aerodromes near Balikpapan in Borneo. “Aircraft struck at bridges in the north-eastern Celebes, coastal shipping in the Sangine Islands northward, and harassed enemy installations at Wasile Bay, Ceram, in the Moluccas. Heavy bombers attacked a hydro-electric plant at Siman and Mandalan on Java. Other units struck at Flores in Timor, enemy personnel areas and gun positions in the Wewak sector, at aerodromes and a motor park at Rabaul, and at troop concentrations at Kavieng and Buka in south-west Bougainville.”