JAPANESE DEFEAT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21989, 5 April 1946, Page 4

JAPANESE DEFEAT

IN EVERY_TH EATRE LESSON FOR EMPIRE AIR AND SEA POWER (P \ ) CHRISTCHURCH. April 4. japan was not defeated by the atomic bomb. The Supreme Allied Commander in South-East Asia, Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, made this statement when speaking at a civic reception to him and Lady Louis Mountbatten in Christchurch last night. “Japan was beaten in every theatre of war,” Admiral Mountbatten said. “She was well and truly beaten on land, her aircraft were shot out of the sky, and her shipping was at the mercy of Allied submarines and surface craft.”

Large crowds both inside and outside the Civc Theatre awaited the arrival of Admiral and Lady Louis Mountbatten. When they entered the theatre they were greeted with prolonged applause which was repeated when they rose to speak. The visitors were welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. E. H. Andrews, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, Commander C. H. Kersley, president of the Canturbury branch the the Navy League, and Miss M. G. Havelaar, who spoke on behalf of the Red Cross Society and the women of Christchurch. N Z.’s Effort Appreciated

“I am very proud to be the first commander from an outside theatre to come here and say how very much we appreciate the effort New Zealand put forth in this war and to say thank you on behalf of the Motherland,” Admiral Mountbatten said. “I believe it to be the greatest effort put forth per head of population on either side in this war.” “I do think we should take a lesson from the Japanese defeat,” Admiral Mountbatten said later in his speech. “It is the only way in which the British Empire could be defeated—if we lost command of the seas and of the air over the seas.

“What is required throughout the Empire to-day is faith in each other, goodwill and absolute solidarity. My trip out here has shown me it is stronger than I have ever known it to be before.” Lady Louis Mountbatten also acknowledged the welcome.

“On behalf of the women of Britain.” she said, “I want to thank you for what you have done in the past and what you arc doing now. It has raised their hopes and morale beyond all belief.”