BIG NAVAL LOSSES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 167, 16 June 1942, Page 5

BIG NAVAL LOSSES

JAPAN'S ADMISSION MIDWAY AND ALEUTIANS (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, June 15 Tho Tokio radio announced, while broadcasting to Germany, that the Japanese losses in the Midway Island and tho Aleutian actions were not inconsiderable, and were the greatest that the navy had suffered since the outbreak of the war.

Competent observers in Britain deduco significant changes in Japan's plans and strategy as a result of her defeats in the Coral Sea and Midway battles. Many of them express the belief that Australia has been by-passed and China is now more immediately threatened than Australia. They also believe Japan's attempts to establish herself on the "fringes" of the Pacific conflict, of which the latest is the landing in tho Aleutians, aro failing and a shift in naval power will compel Japan to fall back in order to safeguard the conquests already made, as well as her central stronghold from American sea and air power. Tho Manchester Guardian regards the Coral Sea battle as an important turning point and adds that the American victory at Midway at least for a time will compel tho Japanese to drop the idea of a large-scale offensive far from their own coasts; but their position for defensive action remains very strong. While holding that the phase of easy Japanese victory has now passed, British observers arc still cautious in their comments on the extent of the Japanese losses. They aro disinclined at present to endorse the enthusiastic American statements that the Midway action broke tho backbone of Japanese sea power.