ANOTHER ISLAND CLEARED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24675, 30 August 1943, Page 2

ANOTHER ISLAND CLEARED

The process of dislodging the Japanese from their many island outposts was painful and costly at the beginning, and threatened to be extremely slow. On the basis of the time and expense of seizing and holding Guadalcanal 1 , it was possible to calculate—as some pessimists did—how long it would take to break effectively through the outer perimeter and carry the war, with real effect, to the Japanese holdings. Fortunately the outlook has changed, and there are substantial grounds for believing the improvement will be permanent. After Kiska has come New Georgia. However valuable this island may be as a stepping-stone for the next advance, the clearing of it is not so significant as the way in which the last stronghold, Bairoko Harbour, was gained. As with Kiska, the enemy stole silently away, leaving the ground for occupation by the Allied forces. Everything was not saved. Equipment, including vehicles, and considerable amounts of food were left behind. So another of this war's legends is being proved false. As that of German invincibility has been exploded, so is the legend of Japanese deathdefying tenacity. Ground can be regained without it being necessary to root out and destroy every defensive post. It does not follow that progress up from the enemy's limit of expansion in the Pacific, so far as that continues part of the Allied plan, will be easy hereafter. Much hard and bitter fighting will unquestionably have to be done. Great problems of supply and transport remain. But the rate of progress in the clearing of New Georgia is further encouraging evidence that (he Japanese are not immune from enforced withdrawals