THE BORNEO RAID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 3

THE BORNEO RAID

A LESSOR FOR JAPAN DEPRESSING DEVELOPMENTS (Rec. 1.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 16. “The long-range bombing of Balikpapan was not merely a stunt.” says the New York Herald-Tribune in a leader. “The raid contains promise of most depressing future developments for the Japanese, who have just begun to draw upon wells and refineries in Borneo and Sumatra. By seriously damaging the best oil installations, the Allies demonstrated that they are able to blast Japan’s plans for the. consolidation of her conquest as disconcertingly as though General MacArthur reached in the window of Tojo’s office and touched a match to the maps and papers on his desk.” ~. „ The paper points out that the Sumatra installations can readily be blasted from Ceylon. Furthermore, General MacArthur needs to reach only a little farther from Australia to hit Surabaya, the great East Indies warehouse, and Palau Islands, with its highly-developed aerial station. In this visit to Balikpapan the Japanese read the promise that the day Rabaul falls 90 per cent, of the air-power based on Australia will be ready to undo the feverish Japanese repair work in Borneo and Eastern Java and soften-up Timor and Amboina for occupation. “ The Allied counter-offensives in the Solomons and New Guinea are extremely furious,” said the navy propaganda chief, Captain Kurihara, broadcasting from Tokio radio. “The enemy’s fighting spirit is excellent and they do not give our forces a moment’s rest. The United States was defeated at the outset of the war, but finally braced herself and went forward with counter-offensives. The United States is planning to bemb our important bases, industrial districts, ports, railways, and Government quarters, and destroy production and the home-front fighting spirit. We must strengthen our vital facilities and the determination of the people to cope with these plans. The Pacific war is one of attrition. To meet America’s greatest weapon, her economic and production power, we must reply with ours.” He added that the ship shortage could be eliminated by transporting more by land and increasing ship production.

American Liberator bombers based on India yesterday bombed the Andaman Islands in the Bay cf Bengal.