No Opposition When Kiska Occupied

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1943, Page 3

No Opposition When Kiska Occupied

QUEBEC, Aug. 21. President Roosevelt and Mr. Mackenzie King have jointly announced that Canadian and American troops who occupied Kiska found no Japanese there. The United Press says it is learned that military strategists are conferring with President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill, considering plans to seek out and destroy the Japanese fleet.

It is pointed out that mastery in the Mediterranean and a successful fight against U-boats makes the Pacific offensive possible. The first problem is getting the Japanese fleet into the epen, which could be accomplished by intensifying attacks on supply lines. Faced with a sea blockade, Japan would then be forced to employ her full sea power, which is believed to be weaker than the forces the United Nations can soon send to the Pacific. Removes Threat From Anzacs

The Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Mackenzie King), broadcasting, drew attention to the significance of Kiska’s fall in removing a threat from New Zealand and Australia. “Just as the control achieved by United States. New Zealand and Australian forces in the South-West Pacific aids in the defence of Canada, so control of the Aleutians by the Americans and Canadians aids in the defence of New Zealand and Australia.” fokio official radio says that Imperial Headquarters issued a statement that army and navy units, which had garrisoned Kiska. completed the transfer of their entire forces in the latter part of July without enemy interference. These units are already stationed at a new post. The Associated Press points out that Navy communiques reported light anti-aircraft action on at least four occasions in August. Big Move In Pacific? The Quebec correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the disclosure that the Chinese Foreign Minister (Dr. T. V. Soong) is shortly to confer with Mr Roosevelt and Mr Churchill indicates that the final sessions of the conference will involve great decisions on the war in the Pacific, including plans to carry the war closer to the Japanese homeland. He pointed out, that with the United Nations forces striking northward from New Guinea, the Americans and Canadians moving from the Aleutians towards Japan and a big campaign against Burma in the planning stage, there will soon be plenty of action in the Pacific. Many Lives Saved The American and Canadian expeditionary force at Kiska is believed to have exceeded 10.000. There is some disappointment in military and naval circles over the escape of Japanese troops which the Americans would have preferred to extinguish. At the same time there is relief that there was no bloodshed, since the Japanese had the advantage of being dug in and Kiska apparently was well fortified. It would have cost many American and Canadian lives if the Japanese had chosen to resist as at Attu.

Strategically, the fall of Kiska is important. The Aleutians are again securely in American hands and the path is now cleared for the United Slates to stab the Japanese mainland from the north. The commander of the North Pacific (.Vice-Admiral Thomas Kincaid) said: "The recapture of Kiska means that we have completed our northern road to Japan. Our completed chain of air and naval bases protects our surface vessels and shipping units twothirds of the way to Tokio.” Vice-Admiral Kinkaid said that the battle for Kiska was actually fought at Attu. By recapturing Attu, we obtained means of preventing supplies reaching Kiska as well as means of bombing Kiska from bases westward, thus ensuring the fall of Kiska. Shortest Route To Japan

He added that the whole Pacific picture has now changed. The northern route, which is the shortest one to Japan, has been cleared and from Attu we are only 630 miles from Paramushi.ru, northernmost Japanese base. The Aleutians campaign was a costly venture for the Japanese, who lost hundreds of planes. The navy has reported the total Japanese naval losses at seven destroyers, two other warships, one transport and five cargo ships sunk; three destroyers, one submarine, one transport and three cargo ships probably sunk; seven cruisers, five destroyers. three submarines, one other warship, four transports, 13 cargo ships and three other non-combatant vessels damaged.