TOUGH ENEMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 12 June 1945, Page 5

TOUGH ENEMY

WAR IN THE PACIFIC >OULD LAST TWO MORE YEARS GENERAL STILWELL’S VIEWS New York, June 11. General Stilwell told war correspondents on Okinawa that it was quite possible that the Allies would have to fight in Manchuria, even if the Japanese Islands were conquered first. He predicted that the Paeifil war could easily last another two years. General Stilwell. who is inspecting .roops in the Pacific, added: “There is a widespread feeling in the United States that the war against Japan will be a pushover, but people who think realise that it will be tough. “A lot of people think SuperFortresses will take care of Japan and that Japan will give up. I believe the Japanese defeat will require ground action in addition to anything done by heavy bombers. I do not see any reason to expect the Japanese to ~k. I cannot see, when they are so tenacious individually, how we can expect a crack in morale en masse. In that respect 1 do not think air suicide attacks lepresent a defeatist attitude. The Japanese do not think that way. They will use any methods they think might have effect.” General Stilwell considered that given proper basic training American replacements could master the cave, tomb and other purely Japanese styles of fighting very quickly. The redevelopment plan for soldiers from Europe did not call for extensive training in the United States. General Stilwell described the Okinawa campaign as: “A hell of a tight fight. You can tell that by looking at the ground over which it has been fought. It reminds me of the battlefields in France in the last war.” Asked whether the Japanese made the best use of advantages on Okinawa, he said Japanese generalship had not teen brilliant, but he did, not know *hat the enemy command’s orders might have been. The Japanese might have made better use of mobile de fence, but if ordered to fight a delaying action they played the game correctly. STEADY DRIVE FORWARD The Columbia Broads-sting System’s correspondent broadcasting from Manila. said the Australians were driving forward at a steady rate when he flew from Brunei eight hours ago. They broke through the enemy lines at Victoriatown the «=eat of the former Straits Settlement Government, and they captured an airport with light casualties. The Mutual Network’s correspondent, broadcasting from Borneo, said the only opposition was a lone Japanese plane which fled after dropping a single bomb The Japanese were driven 3000 yards inland by pre-invasion naval gunfire and aerial bombardment The Australians quickly captured the Labuan air strip. Large supplies were landed within tour hour? of the initial landings. The United Press of America correspondent with the Australians, said the forces which hit the mainland were in two groups One landed just north of a bluff and pushed 1500 yards across Cape Pempelong at the south-west corner of Bruner Bay and captured Brooketon. where it esthblished headquarters. This force by 10 a.m today had advanced 3000 yards, where it met the second column coming up from the bluff area. Both forces then pushed toward Brunei town. The correspondent says it is estimated that between 2000 and 5000 Japanese troop? are in the Brunei Bay area. They are offering onlv ineffective resistance Naval forces, however, have encountered mines and other underwater obstacles which the minesweepers cleared. SURF AND CROSS-CURRENTS The invasion fleet comprised 200 naval vessels including eight Australian. Surf and cross-currents made it most difficult to land wheeled vehicles on the Brunei Bluff beachhead Guns and ammunition were packed in boxes which the Australians towed ashore, wading 60 yards through the surf. Within th/ee minutes of the landing tire guns were firing.