Japan Faces a Grim Ordeal

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 110, 11 May 1945, Page 5

Japan Faces a Grim Ordeal

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Thursday, 0.60 p.m. WASHINGTON, May 10. Lieut.-General Giles, the new commander of the Army Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean areas forecast a greater round-the-clock torrent of bombs against Japan tnan fell on Germany, says the New York Times’ Guam correspondent. General Giles added: ‘‘ln addition to the planes from Europe and a greatly expanded Super-Fortress fleet new types would be used including A 28. an attack-bomber, and B 32 Domlnator, which is a counterpart of the SuperFortress; and P 80, a Jet-propelled fighter used in a few missions over Europe. The targets will be decided by a panel of several hundred experts. ’ • The Twentieth Air Force announced that more than 400 Super-Fortresses in daylight to-day attacked industrial and military areas on the southern tip of Honshu for the first time. Other SuperFortresses attacked air installations. Acting Secretary of State, Mr. Charles Grew, commenting on the flood of vague peace rumours denied that any peace offer conditional or otherwise had been made by Japan. The war against Japan will grow in severity over a prolonged period, said Senator Vinson reporting to President Truman. He expressed the view that the Japanese will fight to the bitter end. Senator Vinson pointed out that Japan had two great strengths: the willingness of her soldiers to die to the last man rather than surrender, and a geographical position making her hard to get at. Japan has an army of 4,000,000 men of which leas than one-fourth are south of Formosa and China. Japan also has several millions fit for service but not yet called up. Although the Japanese fieet has been crippled it can still strike damaging blows In waters protected by land-based aviation. Japan’s air force is still a powerful defensive factor.