ENEMY NAVAL STRENGTH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 265, 8 October 1942, Page 5

ENEMY NAVAL STRENGTH

MUST NOT BE DISCOUNTED. (10.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 7. Naval observers point out that the Japanese fleet, despite its heavy losses, is still strong enough to launch a new offensive in the South-West and Central Pacific, says the United Press Pearl Harbour correspondent. The American victories in the Coral Sea and Midway battles were based primarily on the element of surprise and should not be taken to mean that the Japanese cannot deal or have not dealt heavy blows. The Japanese, the correspondent adds, may strike at any one of three principal objectives:— (1) Against the American bases in the Solmons to nip the head of the United Nations' counter-offensive.

(2) Against the principal steppingstones in the Southern Pacific supply route to Australia. (3) Against tho Midway-Hawaii area in order to smash or capture the United States Pacific Fleet's main base.

The Under-Secretary for tho Navy (Mr Forrestal), who has just returned from a tour of the Southern Pacific areas, predicts a revival of bitter fighting in the Solomons. "This is the first time the little squat men have been sent back, and they do not like it," he says. "There will bo nothing static about our very active second front down under."