JAPAN NOW ALONE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 135, 9 May 1945, Page 5

JAPAN NOW ALONE

ALLIES' GREAT MIGHT HEAVY BLOWS TO COME (N.Z. Press Association. -Copyright.) (Pec. 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, May 8. "Japan is facing alone the most overwhelming combination of fighting power ever assembled," says the Washington correspondent of the New iork Herald-Tri-bune. "It was suggested today that this is likely to bring early Japanese peace overtures. "Japan must expect blows from a fleet of nearly 2000 warships, ixoin ground forces swelled by 3,000,000 European veterans and from air forces augmented by 5000 heavy bombers and twice as many fighters and medium bombers.

"State Department experts think that this array will give the Japanese military clique an opportunity to save face by advancing the argument that Japan cannot tight the world alone. But they do not believe there is likely to be an offer of unconditional surrender. They feel that Japan will bo willing to' give up Manchuria, but will insist on retaining Korea. "Australia's armed force totals 800,000 and Canada's more than 500,000, while the French report a sizable force undergoing special training for Pacific warfare and ready to move.

''The latest naval figures give America 1175 combat slaps, Britain 500, and France 175, besides unspecified elements of the Italian, Polish and Netherlands fleets. The most important effect of the end of the European war is the release of hundreds of small convoy vessels and escort carriers to guard the long Pacific communications lines."

The United Press says according to a reliable source the Allies will bo able to use between 200 and 300 submarines against Japan. Brigadier-General Hoag, commander of the European Division of the United States Air Transport Command, has disclosed that the re-deployment and return of combat personnel to the United States and to the Pacific by air would be undertaken on a huge scale within the next few months. It is estimated that passengers would be cleared from Europe every month. Australian war commentators concur with the United States Office of War Information's view that Japan's defeat will require at least another 18 months, says a Sydney message. They point to the difficulties of the extended Allied communication lines as against Japan's shortened lines, and the difficulty of concentrating closerange air strength for the "obliteration" bombing of Japanese war industries.

"The enemy's forces on Southern Okinawa were brought under the fire of heavy forces of the United States Fleet yesterday," says Admiral Nimitz's communique. "Numerous blockhouses, pillboxes and other structures were destroyed. Carrier aircraft and other planes gave close support to the ground troops and also continued neutralising attacks on the Sukishimas.

"From the beginning of the Okinawa operation to yesterday the enemy lost 36,535 killed."