THREE-WAY ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24793, 17 January 1944, Page 4

THREE-WAY ATTACK

DRIVE AGAINST JAPAN MALAYA-SUMATRA PLANS (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 The sudden appearance iu Washington of the Allied Air Commander in the South-west Pacific, LieutenantGeneral G. C. Kenney, coincided with new speculation on an early three-way pincers drive against Japan. Lieuten-ant-General Kemiey's presence in the capital is viewed as particularly significant because it coincided with conferences between Admiral Halsey and senior military and naval officers. It is believed Lieutenant-General Kenney made the trip as the official representative of General Mac Arthur, who has not been in Washington since before the attack on Pearl Harbour on December '7, 1941. The conferences raised the possibility of early campaigns against the Japanese from three directions —the South-west Pacific, the Central Pacific and from India. There is a growing belief that Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten's long-awaited offensive to open the Burma Road will take the form of a drive toward Singapore and cutting across—Northern Burma from Northoast India instead of pushing against key Burma ports and northward into the interior.

Observers believe this might be less costly and more direct and would also by-pass the powerful chain of Japanese air bases in southern Burma. Further-, more, it is believed that a push on Singapore might yield . a greater strategic advantage by occupying a few ke.v points at the northern end of Sumatra.

This would involve amphibious operations, but on a smaller scale than an attack on Southern Burma. The. Allies' footholds in Burma would enable the establishment of air bases within GOO miles of Singapore and also halt Jap- , anese shipping between Malay Penin- . sula and Sumatra into the Indian Ocean. Thus enemy garrisons in Burma would he cut off frorn seaborne supplies, which are carried to ' Southern Burma ports and transported 1 to,the interior by river craft. Military experts, however, da not forecast an early drive against Singapore itself. The Japanese have made it one of the most powerful of their ' outer bastions. The chances are that Singapore will be ignored, at least until the Japanese forces in the Pacific are smashed. LEND-LEASE PROBLEMS AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) NEW YOKK, Jan. 15 Britain and America are negotiating a now lend-lease agreement ''to meet the special problems arising from present circumstances," says the New York Times correspondent at_ Washington. These are believed to include: — (1) The approaching defeat of Germany and the consequent partial resumption of civilian production and overseas trade; (2) the growth of reverse lend-lease since Pearl Harbour; (3) the American contention that Britain should pay cash in future for certain goods, such as machine tools' and machinery. However, industrial materials and food, it is understood, will continue to be shipped to Britain under lend-lease. BOY MAULED BY SHARK NEW SOUTH WALES COAST SYDNEY, Jan. 15 Peter Wier, aged 14, the son of Mr* Mervyn Wier, Under-Secretary of the Treasury, had both legs badly mauled by a shark while surfing at Forster Beach, on the northern coast of New ■ South Wales. The lad courageously beat off the shark, and in response to his cries for help two men went out and brought him ashore. The boy's condition is serious, but not critical. Sharks have been very prevalent on Sydney's surfing beaches this summer, bathers frequently having to leave the water because of them. A NEW DESTROYER (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) SYDNEY. Jan. 10 N As a tribute to the United States the latest Australian-built Tribal class destroyer has been named Bataan. She was launched at a New South Wales ! dockyard by Mrs. Douglas Mac Arthur, wife of General .Mac Arthur. When the Australian cruiser Canberra was lost in the Solomons the United States named her latest-built cruiser Canberra. The naming of the Bataan was a graceful tribute, said Mr, Nelson Johnson, United States Minister to Australia, and will symbolise the co-opera-tion between Australia and America.