WAR IN PACIFIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24536, 19 March 1943, Page 3

WAR IN PACIFIC

MacARTHUR'S REVIEW QUIET CONFIDENCE ANNIVERSARY OF ARRIVAL (Special Australian .Correspondent) SYDNEY, March 18 ■ General Douglas Mac Arthur, Com-mander-in-Chief of tho Allied Forces in the South Pacific area, met war correspondents yesterday oil the first anniversary of his arrival in Australia from the Philippines. In an interview which lasted two hours he discussed the main events of the year in the Southern Pacific. The minute detail of his review of the Pacific war answered in advance a barrage of questions that had been prepared by the pressmen. General Mac Arthur praised the work of the war correspondents in this area and told them that no brake would be applied to criticism except where it was based on false premises or incomplete information. After the correspondents were in possession of all the facts no attempts would be made to shade or dictate their opinions. He said ho had given the press reports almost as fast as they were received from the front line. Five Major Actions Correspondents were impressed with the quiet confidence with which General Mac Arthur spoke of the Allies' ability to maintain a successful holding war in this theatre. However, ho made it clear that big problems lay ahead. The Japanese have been repulsed in five major actions in the South-west Pacific since the development of 'General Mac Arthur's new strategy, in which air power has played a vital part. This was revealed at the interview. These actions were fought in the Coral Sea, at Milne Bay (Papua), at Bona and Gona (Papua), and in the Bismarck Sea. Allied success in gaining command of the air contributed to a most important extent to the enemy reverses. Japanese Plans Revealed It is now revealed that captured Japanese documents disclosed that the enemy had planned to take the Allies' main base in New Guinea, Port Moresby, with a force of 20 transports. It is also admitted that Allied strategy conceived the occupation of the Buna area, but lack of air power at the time prevented the Allies from beating the Japanese to this base. As the enemy later discovered, strong air power is essential to the maintenance of any ground installations. "Our air strength was then so weak that we had no chance of stopping the Japanese from landing at Buna," says the Daily Telegraph's war correspondent. * "Our bomber forces to-day could knock out a convoy of the, size of that which went into Buna in a matter of hours. The Japanese also erred in building up air strength at Buna without adequate warning facilities. They lost more than 100 planes on the ground because of this defect." The ultimate stages of the Papuan, campaign, in which General MacArthur employed air transport on a mass scale to move troops and equipment, must figure among the classic examples of the changing art of war. However, this reverse, together with those subsequently inflicted upon- the Japanese, has not prevented enemy encroachment in other areas, particularly to the north of Australia. . Strategy Revised Nevertheless, General Mao,Artbur has had a main part in keeping Australia inviolate and in establishing valuable bases for the eventual development of an Allied offensive. "Australia's war strategy was drastically revised after General Mac Arthur took command of the South-west Pacific front," says the Daily Telegraph's correspondent. "Our defence plan then conceived that the islands to the north would be lost and that North Queensland and Darwin would be over-run. Provision had been made for organised resistance behind a line drawn went from Brisbane. General Mac Arthur considered that the conception of this strategy was defeatist and fatal to Australia's safety. He changed the strategic conception with the basic thought that the battle for Australia would be settled iu the littoral islands to the north, north-east and north-west. _ The new strategy was to make these islands the battleground —win, lose or draw.' Jovial and Informal War correspondents, who last met General Mac Arthur six months ago, noted many _ personal changes. One writer described him as slightly heavier and certainly far more jovial and informal." _ , At the interview General Mac Arthur wore a leather air force jerkin, a gift from members of his air command before ho went to New Guinea to direct the Papuan campaign. Formerly > a cigar smoker, he was yesterdav smoking a lieavy pipe. He spoke with deliberate 'matter-of-factness and made no attempt at dramatic effect. A restless and inveterate "room pacer," General MaoArthur's familiar gestures and mannerisms were on this occasion less in evidence than formerly. DEFENDING AUSTRALIA CHANGE OF STRATEGY (Kecd. S.lO p.m.) CANBERRA, March 18 "I do not propose to hold post mortems as to what might or might not have happened in certain contingencies in tho defence of Australia," said the Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtm, in the House of Representatives to-day. A Labour inembeir had directed attention to a reported interview with General Mac Arthur, in which it was stated that the defence plans before he took command of the South-west Pacific had provided for organised resistance on a line drawn west from Brisbane and that this strategic conception was defeatist and fatal to Australia. Mr. Curtiu's reply was tantamount to a rebuke to tbe member, who asked whether the persons responsible for this policy were still associated with armv administration. The Prime Minister said the war was 1 a changing problem and the advent of the Japanese against Pearl Harbour, Singapore and Australia had transformed Australia's relations to the war against the Axis. "We' have held this country," he said, "not only by the valour of our soldiers, hut by the substantial aid of all our Allies, And we have given them aid. ( Tbe problem facing this country is still to continue to give its maximum capacity because of the vital considerations involved." FIVE OF 15,000 SURVIVE (Becd. 5.85 p.m.) YMSHINGTON. March 17 Five Japanese soldiers were the sole survivors of the 15,000 aboard the 22 ships recently destroyed in the Bismarck Sea, said Mr. Elmer Davis, Director of War Information, to-day. TURKEY AND BRITAIN (Reed. 5.45 p.m.) ISTANBUL. March IT "We warmly grasp tho hand extended to us by the British Government," said the Prime Minister of Turkey, M. Saracoglu, addressing the Grand National Assembly. "Reaffirmation ot Anglo-Turkish friendship is not dictated bv the emergencies of the moment;' it is a vital need of both nations. We have got to know Mr. Churchill more intimately following the mooting nt- Adana and to lovo hufl better. "The Government will deny the arniy nothing which will increase its fighting power," he added. The Assembly unanimously carried a vote of confidence in ►the Government.