RAID ON JAPAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24923, 19 June 1944, Page 4

RAID ON JAPAN

TONS OF BOMBS

STEEL PLANT HIT

(MASSES OF WRECKAGE

SURPRISE FOR ENEMY By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Herd. 5.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 17 A War Department communique regarding the air attack on Japan on Thursday states: "A sizable task force of Fortresses bombed industrial areas at Yawata, on Kyushu Island, in the Japanese homeland. Our bombing was accurate and effective. Enemy fighters offered some resistance to a few units. Flak was moderate to intense over the target area. No enemy planes were shot down. There were no casualties aboard the returning aircraft. "Four planes failed to return from tho mission. One was lost as a result of flak over the target, and two failed to return owing to accidents, but one crew is known to be safe. The fourth plane is missing." Gigantic Smoke Pall An Associated Press correspondent gays the raid may have knocked out one-fifth of Japan's steel production plant. The aircraft dropped many tons of bombs on Japanese steel plants, the raid being carried out to the almost complete amazement of the Japanese, says j'ov Porter, reuresenting the combined American radio networks on the super Fortress bombings. He adds: "Explosives were dropped on v coke ovens and open hearth furnaces. Flak poured into the skies. Bullets and shell fragments dug deeply into the bombers, but the engines kept turning and nearly all returned. The planes lei fc great masses of wreckage, overhung bv a gigantic smoke pall stretching for miles into the air. "Tho attack demonstrated that, although the enemy was caught by surprise', he has prepared his defences and can marshal enough night fighters at least to cause some interference with our bombing pattern. New Craft Proves Worth "For the most part during the first period of this regular missiou_ against the Japanese mainland very little develoned except searchlights and flak. ]n tiie second phase the (lak died down. The third period was a crucial one. Then the Japanese fighters pressed home their attack with only meagre results. The super Fortresses, reporting to their base, could show some bullet holes, but very little material damage. The super Fortress, planned and executed as an offensive weapon, has proved its worth." * In a subsequent broadcast Mr. Porter said the target was the Imperial Steel and Iron Works at Yawata. He added that a preliminary super Fortress raid was made last week against Bangkok. Eleven war correspondents accompanied the raiders. One of them quoted Brigadier-General Wolfe as saying: "This is but the beginning of our organised destruction of the Japanese industrial empire."

JAPANESE VERSION

TURKEY'S ATTITUDE

LITTLE DAMAGE CLAIMED

STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS LONDON, June 17 The Japanese Cabinet met this morning, when the Ministers of Home Affairs, Munitions, Transport and Communications stated that the damage caused by the American air raid was very slight. A Japanese communique states that American bombers also bombed Shimonoseki, across the strait from Yawata. The communique claims that seven planes were shot down and three damaged. It adds that, except for several •casualties suffered by the ground forces, the Japanese Air Force and ground installations suffered almost no loss. Fires started in several places were quickly extinguished. The Japanese Army authorities claim that the raiders inflicted no losses. The Domei agency saysj "Several aircraft attacked South Korea .(possibly ns part of the general assault against Japanese rail communications), including Fusan, the rail ferry terminal on the South Korean coast, 140 miles from Moji. An enemy task force attacked the Bonin Islands. The enemy raided Chichijima and Iwojima, about 600 miles from the Japanese mainland." The Tokyo radio said it was presumed that the super-Fortresses took off from Sian, China. The raiders hit the Yawata iron works with only a few homb fragments and without damaging the plant. GREAT AIRFIELDS CONSTRUCTION IN CHINA LONDON, June 10 The biggest job of airport construction the world has known preceded the bombing of Japan, says a Daily Express correspondent at the 20th Bomber Command air base. He says 600,000 conscripted Chinese worked for three months in the rich rice country of AYestern China constructing several huge bomber fields entirely by manual labour. President Roosevelt and Marshal Chiang Kai-shek planned the airfield system during their talks at Cairo, after which Chinese engineers were chosen to supervise the work. The Chinese Government decided in January to conscript labour for the project. The Chinese in this area are not coolies, but farmers. They iound the work arduous, hut*stuck to'the job. Many women also were emploved. Eve-witnoss<>s say the scene when 110,000 labourers concentrated on the higgest airfield was unforgettable. Everything was carried in baskets or wheel ba itows.

PRO-ALLIED POINTERS

(Herd. p.in.) NEW YORK, June 17 The Washington correspondent of the Herald-Tribune says that diplomatic circles consider the resignation of the Foreign .Minister of Turkey, M. Menemencioglu. an indication that Turkey has turned against Germany as a result of recent Allied successes, and that Turkey will soon assume a more active part in the Allied war effort to ensure a place at the peace table. The Cairo correspondent of the New York Times says that M. Menemeneioglu is on bad personal terms with the Foreign Minister of Britain, Mr. Anthony Eden. He is also reputed to lie so anti-Russian that he favoured a Herman victory. Some sources expect, him to he replaced by the pro-Allied Turkish Ambassador to London, M. Rushdi Aras.

A cablegram published on Sal unlay reported the resignation of M. Menemencioglu. The reason given was that the Turkish Cabinet had expressed disapproval of his foreign policy, ft was stated by the diplomatic correspondent of the Times that M. Menerneneioglu was the Turkish Minister most concerned that Turkish policy should not provoke German retaliation.

PLANE SINKS U-BOAT LONDON, June 17 A 500-ton U-boat, attempting to Teach the Atlantic shipping lanes, was attacked and sunk by a Wellington liomber of ihe Canadian Coastal Comjnand. states the Air Ministry news Service.