Full Plans To Move Allied Forces East

Northern Advocate, 27 April 1944, Page 4

Full Plans To Move Allied Forces East

NEW YORK, April 26

‘‘The combined British and American staff has full plans for the transfer of Allied fighting power from Europe to the Pacific as soon as it appears that Germany is defeated," said Admiral King in a speech. "Then we can open wide the throttle and advance to Tokio. Granting that we are able to defeat the Germans in 1944—which can happen—it would be dangerous to assume that the end of the war is in sight. The Japanese are j still capable of waging a defensive war of the first magnitude. It should also be understood that all air bases which the Japanese have- in conquered territories must be reduced before we j can get substantial support to China.” Admiral King warned against reduction of navy and shore installations for the sake of economy after the war. He hoped that America’s great naval strength would not be thoughtlessly reduced but would be applied to the maintaining of peace.

No Lessening of Effort

"Military authorities declare that there will be no lessening of the Pacific offensive as a result of impending events in the European theatre, despite the obvious demands entailed in operations of such magnitude as a cross-Channel invasion,” says a correspondent of the New York “Times” at Central Pacific headquarters.

"Commanding Pacific officers are fully aware of the urgent demands of Allied shipping in the European theatre, but point out that the nature of the world conflict leaves the Pacific in a Cinderella role. Naturally, if the European war ends first, the joint chiefs of staff will be able to divert tremendous fleets to the Pacific, thereby rewriting Pacific timetables in a sensational fashion. However, not all the leaders in this area arc content that the European war will end first, and in any case they are not depending on that.”