PACIFIC WAR

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 5

PACIFIC WAR

STILL SECOND Result of Cairo Conference CHINA LAST ON PRIORITY LIST. [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 11.50.) NEW YORK, Dec. 3. The "New York Times’s" Cairo correspondent says: As a result of the conference in North Africa, important preparations are on the way io accelerate the Pacific campaign. First, in the Burma campaign, the navy can definitely be counted on. Secondly, United States troops will prouably be despatched to China to oolster up offensive potentiality there. Tnirdly, certain appointments will be made to effect a complete liaison between General MacArthur and Lord Mountbatten, in order to facilitate Asiatic commands. Fourthly, the tiny trickle of material to China will probably be amplified. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek is reported to be pretty well, but not entirely, pleased by the conference. His lack of enthusiasm is ascribed to two facts. Firstly, although the Pacific campaign will be stepped up, it definitely remains secondary to the European campaign. Secondly China remains at the bottom .of the priority list for materials, although the flow will increase, i Mr. Stimson, War Secretary, at a press conference, reviewing the war, said that the offensive against the Japanese would accelerate, but he warned that reconquest of the seized territory will be a long and a costly process. _ ~ _ ■ LONDON, December 3. The Cairo declaration is hailed in Chungking as a great diplomatic and political triumph for China that would establish the country’s position as a major world power. Observeis, however, stated the declaration contained no note of imminence concerning an all-out assalult on tie Japanese, thus suggesting that cmna, in return for a sweeping tn-partite pledge, accepted war more than ever as a global struggle, in which other strategical high considertions might outweight her own immediate needs. “The Times” says: “China, as a result of the North African conference, will learn that the Allies have planned for the present and for the future A prospect of heavier blows against Japan henceforth opens new prospects of greater security, wider territorv. and heavier tasks of organisation. Economic help for China is assured against the time that she will enter upon her opportunities and Cairo correspondent says: “Well-informed quarters J disclosed that China received most, if not ah, she asked at the conference. An Associated Press correspondent stated: It is believed at Washington that the Cairo Conference agreed on hi eh strategy against Japan proyia ine for recapture of the Philippines and the opening of a sea passage to China. Over this route. America must ship at least a mdllo tons of supplies per month to main tain a minimum offensive force ot one hundred thousand, and that would allow of an air force of only two hundred bombers and four hun dred fighters. Ever- multiple ofi thes forces will require roughly another million tons of shipping Yet until a China sea route is es tablished, American military expe sa v that there cannot be a tmrn grand offensive against Japan There force, it is likely to take at. eighteen months to smash Japan, ai ter Germany is defeated.

BLOWS AGAINST JAPAN

MAINLY TO NORTH OF EQUATOR IS SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC TAKING SECONDARY PLACE. SYDNEY, Dec. 3. Responsible Australian commentators while seeing in the p!ans to de feat J’apan some evidence of an ex pectation of early victory m the European theatre, are quick to point out that a proionged and dtpstruggle is apparently o^iay , pected before the war is final.y ed. A “Churchjllian reluctance to encourage too great confidence been detected in the phrase serious and prolonged operatoins are nece sary to secure the unconditional sur render of Japan.” , Most of the commentators here envisage heavy blows against Japanese from a number of dire tions, particularly from India and from the Central Pacific in thei ear lier phases of the w.ar. A Sydney “Herald” correspondent says. lhe maffi land and air challenge is expected to be made agamst. thei uap nnpep in Burma and on tne neign bourtng 1 fronts, white Amer.can Sava) power determinedly challenges the JaSanese fleets from the eastern and south-eastern sides Some ob servers are pointing out that Gen eral MacArthur was one of the lew notable absentees from the confer ence and that the large representa tion suggests that operations m South-west Pacific area, while an m, tegral part of the “smash Japan strategy will constitute only second ary blows against the enemy.

Doom of Jap Empire AUSTRALIAN PRESS COM M ENTS SYDNEY, Dec. 3. It is agreed here by press commentators that the agreed on pt the Allied leadeiference m Egvpt binds Afiies to nrune the Japanese e 3 000.000 snuare miles of ternwii and 500,000.000 subject lpav ir>p her an island group of |A nnooo 150 000 square miles and 75.000,0uu Pe “The most complete sentence ■ of doom ever passed on a great Bower in modern times,” is how one Aus tralian commentator describes . the decisions of the conference. It agreed that the meeting o Churchill, Mr Roosevelt and Marshal Chiang Kai-shek was the most important conference to Australia and New Zealand since tho war Sydney “Herald” says: The conference was the fourth occasion this vear on which Mr Chiirch’ll and Mr Roosevelt have met - , Thp Ja P a "7 ese can now be in no doubt about r’s’n o, pressure ultimately to be appl'ed'in throwing them back upon their own islands. The extraordinarily large British naval staff wh ch accompanied Mr ’ 1 m u have convinced Marshal Chiang Ka - shek that something more wowd issue from this conference than merelv an expression of this Allied purpose, however gratify l ng _ ana sweeping its terms. There no piagrpp op comforting evidence of the transformation in. the . war situation than that contained in th" expansion of Allied strength and strategy from Casablanca to Cairo.