DEFIANT JAPANESE

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

DEFIANT JAPANESE

LAST STAND ON OKINAWA AMERICANS DRIVE WEDGE IN DEFENCES New York. June 10. Frontline dispatches reported that American infantry drove a wedge into the strong hill defences in the “lost world” section of Okinawa, where the Japanese are screaming defiance as they shower grenades and mortar fire from the edges of the lofty Jaejudake plateau, says the Guam correspondent of the United Press. The slopes of the steep cliffs leading up to the plateau, which are three miles across, are still disputed, with the Japanese dug in their caves and challenging the Americans to come and dig them out. An officer of the Seventh Division, discussing the fighting around Hill 95, which is the south-eastern anchor of the plateau’s defences, said the Japanese have definitely reorganised their forces there to defend the area in a last stand. The Americans would be digging Japanese out of this area for two months. An artillery colonel of the Tenth Army stated that shore-based guns had fired almost . 1,500,000 shells, weighing 62,384 tons, on Okinawa, to The American soldiers and marines gunfire, which now possibly totalled more than 35,000 tons. One American warship on June 8 fired more than 2400 rounds at the Japanese positions on Jaejudake escarpment. Fighterbombers heaped on the enemy tens of thousands of pounds of bombs, rockets and incendiaries. are using flame-throwing tanks with 500 feet extension hoses, which the troops carry to the mouth of caves to pour in liquid fire at close range. The tanks carry more liquid fire than hand containers, but need strong covering fire. HEAVY JAP ARTILLERY The Japanese har increased their artillery fire, using up to 105 mm. guns and some 75 mm. pieces, set so far back in the caves that they have to be destroyed with grenades, demolition charges and flame-throwers, because the American artilleiy could not reach them. TRESH ALLIED STRIKE REPORTED New York, June 11. Tokio radio said that three Allied battleships, three cruisers, fodr destroyers and 70 planes to-day bombarded Minami and Daitojima, 200 miles eastward of Okinawa. Sixty planes struck Ishigakijima, in the Sakishimas, and upward of 30 Mustangs struck Tokio and Yokohama airfields. FUTURE OF KOREA A correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the Acting-Secretary of State, Mr Grew, denied reports that a secret understanding was reached at Yalta with the Russians, whereby they would obtain Korea and other concessions for their entry into the Pacific war. .Mr Grew said that no agreement was made at Yalta altering the policy on Korea announced in the Cairo Declaration, in which the British and Americans said they were determined that, in due course. Korea should be free and independent. U.S. CHIEF OF STAFF TO RETIRE? The “Army and Navy Journal” in a front-page editorial, says that General Marshall intends to retire, possibly opening the way for General Eisenhower to direct the final assault on Japan as Chief of Staff. The journal urges President Truman to persuade General Marshall not to retire.