Reducing MacArthur’s Command To Garrison

Northern Advocate, 27 September 1943, Page 3

Reducing MacArthur’s Command To Garrison

(Received 11 a.m.)

NEW YORK, , September 26

General MjacArthur’s South-west Pacific command, probably iwithin six months, will be reduced to the status of a garrison holding recaptured territories, while drives fro mother directions aim at the East Indies and the Philippines, writes Mr. Lewis Sebring in the “New York Herald-Tribune-.” Realisation of this impending situation undoubtedly prompted General MacArthur’s statement- implying that his ideas of Pacific strategy would not govern future operations. Mr. Sebring points out that virtually the entire operation activity of General MacArthur’s command is now concentrated north-eastwards of Australia, while American forces are consolidating positions in the Solomons. Obviously all these forces must converge on New Britain, Bougainville and New Ireland. The recently created Central Pacific Command, under Lieutenant-General Richardson, Hawaii, gives a hint where the land forces for the area north of New Guinea might come from. To Liberate Philippines Mr. Sebring suggests that it might take considerable time for General MacArthur to clean up New Guinea. Beyond that is where the rub comes in. He would like to push on to the Philippines but it is conceivable that by that time plans would call for others to undertake this assignment. “Others” might be Lord Mountbaten, moving eastwards from India or American naval forces moving westwards through the Pacific. In either case, it seems almost certain that General MacArthur’s command will end at the equator on the nor«ih and slightly past the western tip of New Guinea on the west. How this twill affect continued use of Australia as a great Allied base remains a question but, with the southwest Pacific command confined to these limits, its use as such would seem virtually ended. A Contrary View

A Bay of Bengal paper points out that the obvious advantage of General MacArthur exerting pressure on the East Indies while Lord Mountbatten strikes at Burma and other targets and adds that renewed Japanese air activities in the Solomons is evidence that they are attempting to delay a joint offensive from India and Australia. They probably will also launch an offensive against General MacArthur's holdings, to tie him down in east New Guinea, therefore our forces must expect desperate action in the South Pacific.

The “Herald-Tribune” says that Australians and Americans are going to attempt to capture Rabaul within six Weeks, by Which time the weather should be favourable for land and sea operations.