Will Japan Heed Writing on the Wall?

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 109, 10 May 1945, Page 5

Will Japan Heed Writing on the Wall?

To Be Hit With Everything Allies Have Immediate Step-up of Tempo of Air War United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright, Received Wednesday, 10.50 p.m. LONDON, May 9. “Plans for the invasion of the Japanese homeland are now being drawn up,” declared Admiral Nimitz at a press conferenoe. “The freeing of the tremendous allied power employed in the overwhelming defeat of Germany would first be manifested In a very material stepping up of the tempo of the air war against Japan. The carrier forces also would increase their attacks.” Admiral Nimitz said no place in Japan was safe from carrier assaults. Asked if he thought it likely that Japan would surrender before the Allies land on the home islands, Admiral Nimitz replied: “The Japanese have displayed a lot of intuition and intelligence. If they can see the writing on the wall they will see what has happened. However, we will plan the invasion and go ahead on the basis that an invasion will be necessary. ’ ’ He parried the question as to how his and MacArthur’s commands would be linked up, but pointed out that the invasion planning under the direction of the joint chiefs of staff was now under way. Admiral Nimitz said there were not enough airfields available in the Pacific islands to support the great fleets of bombers from Europe and he indicated the expansion of American ground holdings in the near future to provide for this. He added that Japan would be hit with everything the Allies had. Admiral Nimitz flatly declared that there was not enough of the Japanese Fleet to oppose either the British or American Pacific Fleets in a major engagement. Nevertheless the Pacific war would continue to be a naval war until it ended. Naval war did not mean sea action alone. The navy’s function must be to protect the sea supply lifelines as long as the Japanese had any submarines aeroplanes or surface ships that might attack them. He said the British Pacific Fleet had given invaluable assistance in the invasion of Okinawa, its principal task being to protect the southern flank from sea or air attack from Formosa.

Admiral Nimitz, in a message to General Eisenhower, said: “Now the whole overwhelming might of our force can be turned upon our treacherous enemy in the Pacific. Japan deserves and will now receive our united and un divided attention. The victory in Europe confirms the wisdom of our world strategy which required the use of the bulk of our strength against Ger many while holding Japan and driving her back where possible. ’' SURRENDER HINT TO JAPAN

President Truman issued a statement warning the Japanese that the intensity of the Allied blows will increase and bring them to utter destruction. He coupied with that what the United Press interpreted as an effort to en courage unconditional surrender by pointing out that it would not mean extermination or enslavement. It would mean the termination of the influence of the military leaders who had brought Japan to the present brink of disaster. Provision would also be made for the return of soldiers and sailors to their homes, farms and jobs, and surrender would end the present agony and suffer ing of the Japanese in their vain hope of victory.

The Tokio radio announced that Ger many had surrendered unconditionally. Admiral Teijiro Toyoda said: “In this hour of crisis it is impertinent merely to set forth plausible reasons for oui failure to carry on production as origin ally scheduled. This is the very mom ent when all available materials must be used to step up production. It is now or never. ’ ’ DIGGERS ENLARGE THEIR GAINS 4 ‘Our Tarakan forces enlarged tLeir gains northward and eastward oi the city, capturing xhe enemy’s hurriedly evacuated headquarters,' ’ reports General MacArthur s communique. Strong patrols Cleared the enemy from the vicinity of tne airfield and are operating in the broken country northward. “Medium bombers and fighters througnout the day bombed and strafed enemy gun positions and pillboxes while others hit the Ranau and Bintula run ways in Western Borneo and destroyed planes on the Labuan aerodrome. Air and naval patrols destroyed five small vessels. 4 4 On Mindanao our forces continue to crowd the enemy into the difficult hill country largely cut off from bases of supply. The reduction of enemy pockets continues in both the north and central sectors of Luzon. Our air assault on Formosa continues. Three hundred tons of explosives fell on air bases, factories, railways and warehouses, starting fires and explosions. Our reconnaissance planes swept Indo-China railways. Admiral Nimitz’s communique says: “Battleships and cruisers delivered heavy fire in support of the American forces on Southern Okinawa on Monday night. Several hundred rounds of illumination shells were fired which effectively reduced the enemy’s attempts at infiltration of onr lines. Adverse weather limited our operations to-day and there were no substantial changes in our lines.

“Summaries show that marine fight ers have shot down 209 Japanese aircraft since they commenced operations from the captured fields of Okinawa. Carrier aircraft yesterday continued to neutralise the Sakishimas. Several planes attacked concentrations of shipping around Korea, sinking 14,000 tons of shipping and damaging 3500 tons. Other plane 3 to-day attacked siiipping off Honshu, sinking three cargo ships and a large fishing craft and damaging nine others. They also shot down a flying boat.”

The New York Times’s correspondent reports that Marines found two uniformed and armed women among the Japanese killed opposing the Americans’ southward drive on Okinawa.