ARMY NOT SO STRONG

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24369, 3 September 1942, Page 3

ARMY NOT SO STRONG

! SUCCESSES OF JAPANESE SAME TROOPS ALWAYS USED (Reed. 8.25 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 1 The Japanese are not so strong as their early victories would indicate, says Joseph Harseh, the Christian Science Monitor »•!•• correspondent, who has returned from covering the Pacific war. But he adds that they are sufficiently strong to fight a long, hard war demanding the utmost exertion from the Allies. '•The Allies' defensive strategy, plus Tokio's ability to use the same crack troops as spearheads for successive drives, has - given a misleading impression of the size and ability of the Japanese Army,''' Harsrh explains. "Actually, Japan seems to possess a relatively small attacking force of first-line troops. She used the same men in Burma. .Malaya. the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies.'' Harsch makes the following contentions: — (1) Air battles in the Pacific are trivial compared with those in Europe, as Japan does, not possess a large air force according to modern standards. She also lacks ability to make larse scale replacements. (2) The Japanese High Command shows surprising mastery of modern strategy and tactics, but junior officers have not succeeded in eliminating their medieval outlook. They are oppressed with do or die determination and waste troops on impossible tasks. C 3) The Japanese have succeeded at many points by the narrowest of margin-. (4) The Japanese have weakened themselves by dispersing their strength over too many points.

SECRET GIVEN AWAY ! JAPANESE NAVAL CODE (Reed. p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. I I A member of the House of Represen- S tatives. Mr. Hoi land, told the House of Representatives that .Stanley John-! $ ton's report of the Midway battle pub-! lished in the Chicago Tribune informed : the Japanese that the American Navy j knew the Japanese naval code. He added that the Japanese Navy changed the code three days after the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News and the Washington Times-Herald published Johnston's story. .Mr. Holland pointed out that the eode enabled the United States to know in advance the names and dispositions of the Japanese ships involved. ! Johnston's storv gave the secret away, j Thus, by thp unthinking misuse of the freedom of the press, the Tribune deprived our side of a priceless military j advantage which might have saved the j lives of many American boys. RECORD OF MALTA ! 936 PLANES DESTROYED (Rfrd. .'j..'?." p.m.) LONDON, Sept. ] ! During August 50 enemy raiders were j destroyed over Malta, making the total i number so far destroyed over the j i-land f'i6. SAARBRUCKEN RAIDED i LONDON, Sept. '2 j A strong force of R.A.F. bombers attacked Saarbrucken, in the Saar, last night.