Japs In New Guinea Below Earlier Standard

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 3

Japs In New Guinea Below Earlier Standard

(Rec. 2.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Japanese now being met in New Guinea were below the standard of those who tought in the early Papuan campaigns and are showing a drop in fighting qualities and morale, said Lieutenant-General Robert Eichelberger of the United States Army, who has fought both at Buna and Hollandia. He is the only front-line General who has taken part in both these campaigns. He led the Americans who fought beside the Australians at Buna-Sanan-anda and is a corps commander of the Hollandia invasion force.

Evidently the Japanese had outlived the first Hush of their enthusiasm for conquest and were realising that they must face a high probability of final defeat, he told war correspondents. They were not all now anxious to die for their Emperor. End Not in Sight However, Lieut.-Gen. Eichelberger added, he did not believe the end of the Japanese war was in sight. Hard and stubborn fighting lay ahead, but he welcomed the changed order since Papua," 18 months ago, as a sign of increasing Allied might and a steady decline of the Japanese. At Ilollandia’s airfields, hundreds of arrivals and departures were being made daily by transport aircraft, exclusive of heavy traffic in combat planes. Roads were being hacked through the mountainous neighbournood and there was a never-ending flow of motor transport over them. Fast motor-boats and amphibious craft crossed the inland waterway of Lake Sentani. where the Japanese had only a few dinghies and rowboats to supplement the native canoes impressed into their service. Again, at Hollandia. said Lt.-Gen. Eichelberger, was demonstrated the Japanese neglect to exploit bases which fell to him so easily, followed by the amazing transformation of these areas cnce they were back in Allied hands.