Bougainville Jap. Says Bomb Ended War

Northern Advocate, 25 August 1945, Page 2

Bougainville Jap. Says Bomb Ended War

(Official R.N.Z.A.F. War Correspondent) BOUGAINVILLE. Aug. 23 The atomic bomb decided the course of the war, a Japanese baron told an Australian envoy who yesterday penetrated the heart of the enemy territory to convey a mesage from Genera] Savage to General Kanda. Baron Mischimo, a lieutenant In Kanda's army,, who met the Australian party at the Mivo River ford and conducted them to Kanda’s headquarters at Maika, Southern Bougainville, said the Japanese would have continued to resist but for the atomic bomb. The envoy and party were entertained to lunch by the Japanese staff officers, and after a short discussion, returned to Torokina today. Hundreds of Japanese troops along the Buin Road watched them v pass through to Maika. their faces registering a variety of emotions, from curiosity and relief to open hostility. The Australians were not taken to Kanda's actual headquarters, but under an awning in a clearing they met Kanda and his chief of staff, MajorGeneral Maga. Both wore polished jack-boots and field ceremonial uniforms. Kanda is slight and clean rhaven and about sft. sin. He looked frail and ill. He said little, preferring t.o leave formalities to his deputy. Kanda indicated that though he had ended hostilities on the island he was unable to surrender formally until similar action was taken in Tokio. Willing- To Talk The Australian party was received with courtesy and the Japanese officers appeared quite willing to talk freely on other subjects. Later. Mischimo, who worked in an American hank in the Philippines for 12 years, showed the- party his Samurai sword, with a solid gold hilt, which he said had been in his family for 300 years. The Bougainville climate had rusted this prize somewhat. Another officer surprised the party by asking if Australia would get her independence after the war. The interpreter claimed that Kanda still had 20,000 troops on Bougainville. The original force on the island was 60,000, but casualties including death from sickness and disease had" depleted these forces at a rate of: 1000 monthly. He said there were about 1000.000 enemy troops on the Gazalle Peninsula, New Britain, and 200 Japanese women. This is more than double the Allies’ estimate. R.N.Z.A.F. and Australian intelligence officers treat these figures with reserve, and are inclined to think that Japanese officers in the south may be unaware of the heavy losses suffered bv the enemy in other parts of the island as a result of recent heavy Corsair raids and Australian ground offensives.

An unexpected sense of humour was shown and an unconscious tribute was paid to the work of New Zealand fighter pilots when Mischimo apologised for the state of the road along which the party was travelling. Pointing to bomb craters and the pitted highway which made many detours necessary, he remarked: “It is all your own fault, you know."