JAPAN’S AIM

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4562, 20 April 1942, Page 8

JAPAN’S AIM

THRUST TO AUSTRALIA “ BASE-HOPPING ” TACTICS It is not difficult to discern the tactical motive behind the Japanese bombing of various islands in the Torres Strait region, stretching from Thursday Island to Papua, says the military correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald. They are following the technique of aerial infiltration which they have employed since the beginning of the Pacific war. Basically it is a policy by which they take one aerodrome and use it to attack others further on.

Such a system of “ base-hopping ” is capable of indefinite extension. The immediate objective is immobilised by heavy bombing, while preventive enefny action from the next base farther out is hampered by simultaneous attack.

The present objective is Port Moresby. The attacks on the Torres Strait islands are designed to isolate Port Moresby from support just as the earlier attacks on Port Moresby were aimed at the isolation of Salamaua and Lae.

If the Japanese succeed in occupy-

ing Port Moresby they would repeat the process by extending their attacks on bases farther down the Queensland coast toward Cairns and Townsville,

The delay in this particular instance is due to the heavier aerial resistance they have encountered, and to the geographical difficulties which make an attempt on Port Arthur a difficult proposition.

The Australians, assisted by Americans, are endeavouring to counter this threat by systematic bombing raids against the Japanese bases at Rabaul and Gasmata in New Britain, and at Salamau on the New Guinea mainland. If the Japanese aerial menace cannot thus be checked at its points of origin, the only other alternative is to cope with it at the point of attack. VITAL AERODROMES Since there can be no doubt that Japan will extend her “base-hopping” tactics to the Australian mainland, it is imperative that Australia should hold her advanced aerodromes in the north, not only because enemy-con-trolled bases in Queensland would facilitate the bombing of regions farther south, but also because they would allow the use of land-based fighters. The nature of the aerial fight for Australia will be determined by the defence on and over our northern aerodromes; and all past experience has shown that success will depend upon more and still more modern fighters to attack the Japanese bombers. When it comes to fixed defence, there is no answer to fighter strength, and the enemy is so close to Australia that fighter reinforcements are our greatest need. . .