ALLIED STRATEGY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 253, 24 September 1942, Page 5

ALLIED STRATEGY

BOMBING OF JAP BASES NEW GUINEA SITUATION (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (10.35 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 23. Tho Washington correspondent of the New York Times points out that both Hekata Bay and Gizo Island, which were bombed and strafed by Flying Fortresses, lie along the route between Guadalcanal Island and Rabaul harbour, tho major Japanese base in New Britain.

Tho correspondent adds that American bombers are attacking intermediate bases, including storage dumps, troops and assembly stations from which the Japanese might launch more landing parties like those that have been harassing Guadalcanal. "If the planes could put tho enemy's intermediate depots out of commission within a 200-miles radius of Guadalcanal they would prevent invasion forces assembling within a distance able to be traversed by barges overnight," he says. "They would also prevent the maintenance of supply depots for small Japanese bombers and fighters within striking distance of Guadalcanal. Thus, the Japanese would be forced to rely on heavy ocean transport, involving major fleet operations, to take substantial striking forces into the Guadalcanal area, thereby forcing tho Japanese to run the gauntlet of American bombers without the protection of Japanese land-based fighters." The Times also points out that the Solomons_ operations must be viewed as parallel with the activities in New Guinea. The Japanese advance there has apparently reached the point where the conquest of the island can be accomplished only if the Japanese attack Port Moresby from the sea, thereby cutting the flow of Allied supplies from Australia. Because of the location of the Solomons relative to Australia and New Guinea the Japanese can threaten Port Moresby only by reducing the Ame-rican-held positions in the Solomons and regaining control of the air by recapturing the airfield on Guadalcanal. Officials here admit that the task confronting the Japanese is difficult but they are convinced that the Japanese will make an attempt, probably through a manoeuvre involving a surprise .The losses already suffered in their efforts to recapture the Solomons have obviously forced the Japanese to reconsider their plans—a delay that has been extremely valuable to the American forces —but it is generally felt that the longer the delay the greater will be the strength of the Japanese blow.