BRIGHTER OUTLOOK IN PACIFIC

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15241, 6 January 1943, Page 2

BRIGHTER OUTLOOK IN PACIFIC

AMERICAN OBSERVER’S OPINION. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright NEW YORK. January 4. Although the Papuan campaign is generally accepted in Australia as an accurate measure of the Allied task throughout the Southwest Pacific a very hopeful picture of the possible progress in the war against Japan is painted by the American Associated Press military analyst, John Hightower, who says; Allies ar© developing a strategy .1 blockade and bombardment aga.nst Japan instead of the more island by island advance. The conquest of Buna represents th© completion of on© of the initial moves in the new strategy. Buna henceforth will be General MacArthur's forward base similar to Guadalcanar which is General Halsey's forward base. “Guadalcanar has been a highly profitable military investment. The Japanese have thrown in prodigious quantities of ships. plajies, and troops, in vain attempts to recapture it. Although the Americans moved into Guadalcanar in August they have made no efforts to advance because their strategy is not to advance, but to destroy the Japanese arm, navy and air forces fiom Guadalcanar where the enemy losses have already been five times those of the Americans.” “General MacArthur s victory at Buna gives the Allies another point from which great attrition may be worked on the Japanese forces at the ends of their long supply lines. Moreover planes from Guadalcajiar end Buna are now in a position to blast Rabaul feum two directions, and take further toll of the already overtaxed Japanese shipping lines. The waning Japanese maritime strength is expected to increase the difficulties of supplying the outlying bases while home production is placed under a heavy load in supplying the Pacific outposts along with, the armies of China and Burma. Thus some American military authorities confidently expect the Japanese to withdraw from some of the conquered areas without even being attacked.

“After the process of attrition has accomplished its work the combined British and American naval blockade will be thrown around the Japanese home islands accompanied by an intense aerial bombardment, after which comes £h e final step—the actual invasion of a severelyweakened Japan. * ’ The Japanese spokesman. Colonel Taagi. of the enemy High Command writing in the paper Yomuri bun, predicts attacks on from the Solomons and New Guinea ~ as part of an all-out Japanese offensive this year. He admits that Japan at the moment is on the defensive but claims that the reason for this is preparation for offensive measures in China and Burma where the enemy positions are to be consolidated for an attack on India.