PACIFIC MOVES

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1943, Page 5

PACIFIC MOVES

ATTACK ON JAPAN

Rabaul a Likely Aim

M'ACARTHUR-HALSEY TALKS.

[Aust. 8t" N.Z. Cable Assn.] SYDNEY, May 16. It is almost universally accepted that,' a likely objective for the Allied drive in the Pacific is ‘Japan’s key southern base of Rabaul, which lies in the south-west Pacific command area. . , The correspondent of the Associated Press of America, Lief Erikson, states: “At present the Allied forces in the South and South-west Pacific hold positions from which a twopronged offensive may be aimed at Rabaul. The closest co-ordination is essential for such an offensive, with General MacArthur pushing to the north-westward from New Guinea and Admiral Halsey closing in from th e Solomons in a pincer movement., “Until now, operations by these two commanders have not -been directed against the same strategic objective, but they now have the opportunity to organise and co-ordinate major joint operations.” No official definition has yet been made of the individual responsibilities of the two commanders. The Southwest Pacific Headquarters goes no further than indicating that in any joint naval land and air action within the South-west Pacific area the command would still be General MacArthur's. Joseph Driscoll, the New York “Herald-Tribune’s” military commentator, states that General MacArthur and Admial like Marshal Foch, believe in “attack, attack.” Thev will now have the opportunity to put their principles into effect. Some -correspondents suggest that attacks in the Pacific will be designed to prevent the Japanese withdrawing their forces to meet the main threat from India and from concentrating reserves to meet the ultimate attack against Japan itself. The New York “World-Telegram” emphasises the need for more air power in China and the Southern Pacific to strike against Japan.- he naper states that Australia and China should also be given places on the Allied War Council. While MacArthur’s Headquarters is reticent about the details of the discussions between General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey and about the possibility o$ a join offensive action, the war commentators generally see in their meeting the prospects of early action, states the special Australian correspondent _ ol th e New' Zealand Press Association. An American correspondent at an advanced South Pacific base states that it is reported unofficially that General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey have planned an offensive stretching from the Marshalls through New Guinea to the East Indies. However most commentators are coni ent to make a more modest assessment of the possible scope of any Allied offensive in this area. The well-known radio commentator. Raymond Gram Swing, states that the meeting between General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey also “vividly suggests Pacific action. Both men are supreme in their fields, and there is a reasonable assurance t-iat their meeting will spell combined sea, land, and air operations of an important character.”

PROGRESS OF WASHINGTON TALKS. (Rec. 8.45.) NEW YORK, May 15. . President Roosevelt and Mi Churchill are devoting the week-end to intensive conversations on overall strategy, says the “New York Times Washington correspondent. It is assumed that decisions can be reached relatively quickly. Indeed some' intimation of progress may be given on Tuesday, when Mr Churchill has tentatively planned to attend President Roosevelt’s press conference. Meanwhile competent observers, closely watching Attu, explain that if it is the starfof a series of offensives on the Pacific it could have an important bearing on Mr Churchill s and President Roosevelt’s planning. On the other hand, if it remains a local operation, it will not complicate their

those who fled from Greece or are fighting with the guerrillas. According to Reuter’s correspondent in Madrid, the Axis is installing hundreds of searchlights on the Calabrian, Sicilian and Sardinian coasts and is maintaining continuous air patrols and conducting practice a r j^ rnl9 in evacuating coastal towns, thousands are employed on coastal fortifications. The Perman newspapers are now practically ignoring Tunisia, also the fate of the German troops and generals but they have taken their cue from Goebbels and have begun a new campaign against the Jews. Amid the bewildering flood of Axis propaganda, the Berlin radio for several nights past has been again telling English listeners that they have as much to fear from Bolshevism as Germany, and urging them to realise, before it is too late, that they should recast their opinions about the entire war.

“Stand by Your Radios ALGIERS RADIO’S MESSAGE TO FRANCE. (Rec. 10.0.) LONDON, May 15. The Algiers radio is repeatedly broadcasting a message to France: “Stand by your radios as long as possible during the next few days. Keep them tuned to English, American, or Allied stations.” The radio issued a warning that the Germans are likely to prematurely spread stories that an invasion has begun, to induce patriot Frenchmen to betray themselves.

BULGARIAN MINISTERS RESIGN. (Rec. 10.0.) LONDON, May 15. An Ankara message says it is reported from Sofia that the Minister of the Interior, M. Grabowska and the Minister of Commerce, M. Zahar> ieff, have resigned following German demands for stricter measures for the maintenance of internal security.

STATE OF EMERGENCY iN HOLLAND RAISED. (Rec. 8.30.) LONDON. Mav 15The Dutch Government in London announced that the Germans had executed three additional Dutchmen, making the total forty-eight during the first days of martial law. The Berlin radio stated that the state of emergency declared throughout Holland was raised to-night after a quiet week in which there were no incidents.