Hirohito’s Men Cracking and Running

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 5

Hirohito’s Men Cracking and Running

MAY BE BEATEN RELATIVELY QUICKLY Received Friday, 10 p.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 17. “Despite a widespread belief in the United States that the Japanese must be eliminated from the Southwest Pacific island by island it is apparent that new techniques are developing in this area where there are growing indications that the durability of Japanese resistance decreases in direct ratio to the amount of power brought against them. ’ ’ This view was expressed by Frank Kluckhorn, New York Times’ correspondent in New Guinea. “At Salama.ua we saw Hirohito’s men cracking, running and abandoning equipment," he said. “Furthermore, the outer defences of Lae were poorly defended. This was because for the first time General MacArthur had been in a position to employ coordinated amphibious, air and land attacks in the proper manner against the enemy. * ‘ Lack of air cover seems particularly to bother the Japanese on the ground. Our air domination makes a marked difference to their fighting ability and clipping their communications from behind appears to throw them into a panic, decreasing their battle powers. “MacArthur still commands very modest forces and the situation in New Guinea at present is reminiscent of the middle Tunisian campaign when lack of overwhelming Allied air and ground strength made the end seem far away. The enemy is now trying again to wrest control of the air from the Allies who have not yet massed the air strength seen in the final stages of Tunisia and Sicily. However, one can sea the pattern forming and there are almost enough indications to permit prophesying that it will be possible to crack the Japanese relatively quickly in island fighting if and when greater forces are brought into play."