IN OFFING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 59, 11 March 1942, Page 5

IN OFFING

ALLIES TO TAKE OFFENSIVE WASHINGTON REPORTS “SHOCK” TROOPS ON MOVE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 9.5 p.m. Washington, Alar. 10 As a result of repeated conferences by President Rcose- ■ velt with Allied service chiefs, Washington is buzzing with t s rumours that an Allied offen- ' , sive is in the offing'. There is I no indication whether it will be 1 ! against Germany or Japan. ‘ ■ There is a general belief that , . when Japan tries to effect a junc- ' I tion with Germany across India J she should be attacked from the ; ■ north-western, western and south- 1 western Pacific and from China. | The Japanese landings in New i 5 Guinea have increased public and ( ( official desire for a speedy offen- 1 i sive by the United Nations. The j ! view is held that the United Na- t i tions’ naval power in the Pacific ' j along Japan’s eastern flank | I should take immediate offensive, action against Japan’s lines of] conimunieation. (Recd.) 11.45.) New York, March 9. The Washington correspondent of the New York Times states that United States forces sufficiently strong to combat the Japanese in the south-western Pacific are now pouring toward that region by convoys assembled and equipped since December 7. This , is apparent from information which it is now appropriate to publish. > This aggregation of air and naval i power, together with specially-train- - ed United States “shock” troops, is - expected soon to attempt to change 1 i the defensive role so far forced upon t - ’.he United Stales into action that t will place the Japanese on the de- 1 fensive. * There is close relationship between 1 ' the movement of these convoys and ' ; the White House conferences on ' strategy, which were accelerated over ( ; week-end and promise to continue at ' " an intensive rate this week. Together ' they are developing the first major i - Allied effort—and the first American 1 effort in force—in the Pacific. For < the first three months of the war the 1 5 Allies were forced by the circum- 1 1 stances of the Japanese surprise at- ■ tack lo fight rearguard defensive ' actions from the Philippines south- ' • ward along the whole chain of defeats. 1 including Malaya. Singapore, and < ’ Java. Now, with New Guinea under £ a strong attack. Australia stands as the lone unbattcred bastion of the ] Western Powers. and the United 1 ■ States is preparing to undertake its ' commitment as the arsenal of de--1 mocracy in Pacific warfare. Reports from the south-western 1 Pacific compiled in Washington indi- ‘ cate that the combined British, American and Netherlands naval services probably could hold their own ; in surface operations at sea if ade--5 quately supported by other forces, but they have been forced into continued defensive operations which virtually nullified them as attacking forces, and the lack by the United Nations of air power, anti-aircraft J defences and adequately-equipped ’ ground troops in sufficient number destroyed even this presumed equal- ; ity. The. current operations there- ; . fore represent an effort to fill these ( gaps before further Japanese en- , ; croachments to force the Pacific battle-line back towards Pearl HarL hour. AU indications are. that the United States is now ready to move in force. Crossing the Pacific by varying routes are convoys greater than the observers thought possible as recently as I January. Aboard the transports are vital J supplies of attacking planes and dive- 1 bombers which, because of their ( limited range, cannot be flown under r their own power, as are the Flying r Fortresses already m action. Pursuit planes provide the only absolute weapon that can be used against the Japanese bombers. The dive-bombers will be used in breaking up and destroying Japanese convoys appearing within 500 miles of their objectives. Accompanying the planes are ground J crews and specialists trained to de- , fend the airfields themselves. - The convoys are carrying ground ‘ ’ soldiers as well, trained and more } fully equipped than the relatively few ; Australians and British who have heretofore borne the heaviest attacks. These fresh troops carry the skill and the means for attack operations ’ against Japanese positions which were ’ established so recently that they are ( ; considered particularly vulnerable. . ' In the forthcoming operations the , , United Nations will thus have some ‘ j measure of equality with the Japan- , ese, whose victories have heretofore 5 been marked by overwhelming ; superiority in men and materials. By C the extension of their forces over the , vast area from Japan to Java, the Japanese have obviously developed ' many weaknesses. It is therefore ex- I pected that the new forces will strike ? hard and fast at isolated points, creat- c , ing toeholds for the major expedi- c j tions yet to come. < , This strategy was obviously the j j topic of White House discussions dur- 1 , ing the past week-end, at which Mr. ; . Roosevelt spent long periods confer- t , ring with the principal British and 1 , American commanders and high-rank-I ing British experts here on permanent < i missions. It is considered note- r . worthy that plans for the Pacific of- < fensive are maturing coincident with i , the increasing number of public de- , mands for such action. ; —_ WINANT CONFIDENT ■ t PEOPLE TRUST CHURCHILL ' i ' t (Recd. 9.0.) Washington. March 9. I The United Stales Ambassador to ; Britain Mr. John Winant who returned from London yesterday, conferred for two hours with President Roosevelt to-day. He told the Press later L that he believed the Churchill Government Government wov' . remain in c office, desnite the United Nations' reverses in the Pacific “The British neonle trust Churchill and he trusts the British people ” he said. _ Mr. Winant asserted that a definite j increase in efficiency, production and 5 drive resulted in Britain from th? < Allied reverses. He declared that the * fall of Singapore and Hongkong and c the plight of Java made the British f more determined to win. He added: . The British have great confidence m , Russia and are very grateful to the ’ Russians for their willingness for £ (sacrifice and their ability to meet the £ German war machine sucessfully. 1