FINAL STAGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 26 July 1945, Page 5

FINAL STAGE

INVASION PREPARATIONS MACARTHUR MAY BE SUPREME COMMANDER (Rec. I 1.10 a.m.) New York, July 25. It is believed that joint Chiefs of Staff have decided to appoint General MacArthur Supreme Commander of the invasion forces against Japan, says the Washington correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor." Despite the current barrage of peacefeeler headlines and talk of defining unconditional surrender, firm military and governmental opinion in Washington is that the final stage of the Pacific war—invasion of the Japanese home islands — is in the making. It is considered likely that the prospect has passed of the Japanese offering acceptable peace terms or of the Allies defining surrender terms acceptable voluntarily by Tokio. and that massive preparations for invasion are now well advanced. The Japanese are believed to be hoarding their air force to resist invasion to the last, and are also planning new defensive strategy on Asia’s mainland.

A Manila message says: American air forces are about ready to hit Japan with 5000-ton raids, said General Kenney a't a Press conference. In the very near future more than 5000 planes will be available for a concentrated aerial smash against Japan. “1 confidently expect that when we land we will find an almost total lack of oppositio- on the heaches. the s as on New Guinea and the Philippines.” General Kenney declared that there *'as no place in the Japanese Empire which could not be reached by Allied air power. “There is nothing out of bounds for American airmen and that goes for the Emperor’s palace as far as I’m concerned.’’ he said. SEAPLANE BASE BOMBARDED Third Fleet cruisers and destroyers bombarded Kushimoto. a seaplane base. Shionomizaki airfield, a radio station and other military installations in the vicinity of Kushimoto. on the southernmost tip of Honshu Island, early on 25th July (Japanese time). While approaching the coast for this bombardment the force which was under the immediate tactical command of RearAdmiral J. C. Jones, sank a small vessel. probably a picketboat. , British and American planes to-day attacked combatant and merchant shipping. airfield installations and other military targets in an area extending from northern Kyushu through the inland sea at Nagoya Preliminary reports of early strikes to-day show that American aircraft shot down eight enemy planes, destroyed 11 and damaged 20 on the ground. The following damage was inflicted on combatant vessels in the vicinity of Kure: A heavy cruiser and one light cruiser, the Oyodo. left burning badly; two Ise class battleships and the heavy cruiser Aoba and a large aircraftcarrier damaged. British aircraft inflicted the following damage in early strikes to-day: Twelve aircraft destroyed and 13 damaged on the- ground and in the water, and a Kobe type escort aircraft-carrier damaged northwards of Takamatsu in Shikoku. BRITISH CARRIERS COMBATING ! SUICIDE PLANES Admiral Sir James Somerville, head of the British Admiralty delegation to the United States, told an Associated Press correspondent, that heavily i armed British carriers, built to com- , bat land-based planes in European waters, were proving their worth against Kamikazes in the Pacific Admiral Somerville said Britain was sending topnotchers to the Pacific We are determined to go after the Japanese, After all, there is a question of territory, 75,000 British pris- i oners and old scores to pay off.” Admiral Somerville added that while a single command was set up and used in the European theatre it was_ impossible at present in the Pacific. It would not be impossible in the future, however. JAP. EXPECTATIONS PREPARATIONS IN SINGAPORE AND CHINA ATTACK MAY NOT BE FAR OFF New York. July 25. Tokio radio broadcast a statement by the Dome! News Agency that the Chiba prefecture, which had become a hurlybnrly thoroughfare for Snper-Fortresses, Liberators and Mustangs, may be the first site of the invasion of the homeland. Batavia radio announced that Japan .s making hasty preparations in Singapore and on the China coast to repel an invasion which is believed not far aff. Tokio radio reported that the speedy construction of defences would prevent an easy landing, while Japanese troop? on the China coast presented a flank danger to an enemy,attempting to land on the Japanese homeland. Tokio radio said Japan’s totalitarian party would meet to-morrow to hear a report by Dr. Shimomura “on the latest state of His Majesty’s health.’’ The Foreign Minister, Mr Togo, would give a detailed explanation of the international situation and Captain Jurihara, vice-chief of the press section, would discuss the actual war position. The radio added that a vigorous exchange of opinion would take place, after which the President and General Minamj would lead members in shouting “Banzai .” JUMPING-OFF PLACE FOR INVASION Manila, July 24. The Philippines is rapidly being concerted into a mighty jumping-off place for the invasion of Japan.” said Lieut.General Styer in an interview. “Millions of tons of supplies are pouring into Manila. Rear bases in Australia and New Guinea would be rolled up rapidly, the remaining troops and supplies moving to the Philippines”. DANGEROUS TO LEAVE EMPEROR THREAT TO PEACE New York, July 25. The "New York Times” in an editorial commenting on the suggested peace terms for Japan, under which the Emperor would be retained without Allied military occupation, says under these terms the whole political and economic structure headed by the Emperor, which goes even deeper than Nazism! and is just as dangerous to us. would be left untouched. The whole procedure for disarming a treacherous, implacable foe would be left to a control commission with no military occupation to back it up. Such terms, we believe fall short of the minimum for peace in the Pacific.

i see just how venerated he is. 1 am ! certain he will die like Mussolini, but jit is the Samurai, comprising 300,000 military leaders who'must be destroyed. I do not think we will have to do the jjob. The Japanese people will rise in j one of the bloodiest revolutions in the history of Japan. BOMBS ON JAPAN AS MUCH AS ON GERMANY j New York, July 25. i Army air forces have already 'dropped on Japan approximately the ] tonnage which the combined R.A.F. 1 and Army air forces dropped on Geri many and by spring Japan will be | receiving far more punishment from j Super-Fortresses than Germany ever itook. This was disclosed by General | Eaker. British and American bomb- j jers dropped 185,000 tons a month on j Germany. | General Eaker declared that the | lessons of the European war were ; proving beneficial in the Pacific. ; “Guesswork has been eliminated. We I know what we have got to go after.” j General Eaker added that daylight . precision bombing has been abandoned in favour of night area incendiary j attacks, because of weather conditions. flight distances and the peculiar I structure of Japan’s war industry which relied on factories in private homes. Furthermore, the technique of air war changed so radically in the last months of the European war that new technical developments enabled ! accurate blind bombing. General j Eaker expressed the opinion that the Japanese air force, though crippled and lacking petrol, is holding back a considerable reserve to repel the invasion. NEARING CLIMAX 1 CAMPAIGN IN BOUGAINVILLE CHOISEUL CLEARED Sydney, July 25. With the Bougainville campaign nearing a climax Australian troops have J cleared the last of the Japanese from I Chciseul Island, sealed off a large body of Japanese troops in North Bougaini ville, and laid siege to Buin, the “double fortress” area in the south. These dej velopments after nine months 4 fighting • mark the beginning of the end of a campaign which the Army Department, in a review to-day, said had “brought new battle honours to Australian troops and established new standards in jungle • warfare.” The message reporting the clearing of Choiseul, a 12.000-square mile island south-east of j Bougainville, was brief —“Choiseul is safe for democracy”—and came from the leader of a small force which has I been harrying the enemy there for months. Mainly because he needed troops for his Buin fortress, but no doubt encouraged by Australian ground and Royal New Zealand Air Force air at tacks, the enemy withdrew the last of his garrison a fortnight ago leaving hundreds buried along the island’s swampy coastline. Meanwhile Australian troops on the Mivo front are facing the outer defences of the Buin “double fortress,” where the mam battle for Bougainville will be fought. Since taking over from the Americans last November the Australian troops in Bougainville have regained control of 3000-square miles of territory neld by Australia under mandate since 1918. They have freed 10,000 natives and killed 6000 Japanese. Uncounted thousands of Japanese also died in combing attacks and from wounds and sickness. LITTLE OPPOSITION AUSTRALIANS ON BORNEO Sydney, July 25. Driving northward from Balik Papan Bay Australian Seventh Division troops ' have advanced two miles alnng the ! highway town; d the great oil centre of jSamarinda. The main body of ihe enemy here is on the run and the only I opposition the Australians me- was | sporadic snips) fire, says the “Sun” jv.-ar correspondent Japanese defences in Mt. Batochampar area just north of Balik Papan have been completely overrun. Ninth Division troops in Brunei Bav are still engaged in intensive patrolling without meeting any organised jiesistance. Sporadic Japanese attacks j against R.A.A.F. men repairing Sep- ■ pinggan airstrip at Balik Papan have I failed to delay the work. Armed with • grenades four Japanese made a uesperate night attack on one group of bulldozers and graders but were killed before doing any damage. Under foodlights at night the bulldozers and graders present an excellent target fcr snipers and several have beer, sirucli [by bullets but no serious damage has been caused. Ihe majority of the men |in the construction squadrons are |' eterans of New Guinea, Biak and . Morotai and are unperturbed oj the [Japanese nuisance tactics. The airj strip, just under 5000 feet long, is be- | dig extended to 7000 feet. Thousands of I R.A.A.F. men with modern earthj moving equipment are toiling day a.id night to complete the task. AIR FORCE COMMANDS Washington, July 24. ! Lieut-General Eaker, Deputy Com-manding-General of the Army Air Forces, announced that Lieut-General Nathan Twining will become commander of the 20th Air Force on Ist August. The present commander. Lieut.General Curtis Lernay, will become chief for the strategic air forces in the Pacific. Lieut.-General Eaker said Lieut.-Genera] Lernay was appointed chief of staff at General Spaatz’s personal request. RETREATING - .JAPANESE HEAVY losses sustained Colombo, July 25, j “Since the morning of 21st July ‘the count of enemy dead has risen to

JAPANESE REVOLUTION PREDICTED

Rear-Admiral Gatch. navy judge ad-vocate-general, in a speech, said: “The theory that the Emperor is a god to the Japanese is pure bunk. We will soon

over 2000 and the total number of prisoners to 250,” says a Burma communique. “At many points along a 77-mile stretch of road between Toungoo and Nyaunglebin our troops continue to inflict heavy losses on the enemy as they attempt to escape eastwards towards the Sittang River. A large body which crossed the road by night was engaged by our guns and mortars in open ground between the road and the railway. Two villages north-east of Pyu were occupied bv our troops following a successful air strike. Advancing eastwards from Hebo. a 3000-feet high trading centre iti Shan States, our troops occupied Taungyi and patrolled east of the town. Taungyi is on the road to Indo-China, which was used by a portion of the Japanese forces when invading Burma and along which many have since escaped.