CAUTIOUS STRATEGY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 41, 19 February 1943, Page 5

CAUTIOUS STRATEGY

JAP FLEET’S REFUSAL TO GIVE BATTLE NO SIGN OF WEAKNESS (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) (Recd. 7 p.m.) Sydney, Feb. 18. “It would be naive to interpret the refusal of the Japanese fleet to give battle with Admiral Halsey’s forces as a sign of weakness. Japan’s existence depends on keeping her navy in being, and the acceptance of challenges to fig*-* at sea, except under promising conditions, plays no part in Japanese ideas of war.” The Sydney Herald to-day makes this editorial comment on the outcome of the recent naval operations in the South Pacific. The paper adds that throughout the war the Japanese have carefully husbanded their battleships, while severe losses of aircraft-carriers have deepened the enemy’s need for cautious naval strategy aimed at wearing

down the potentially stronger American naval power. Air attacks such as resulted in the loss of the cruiser Chicago are undoubtedly intended to be Japan’s favoured method of countering American naval strength. The Herald points out that the Japanese did not abandon Guadalcanar until they had consolidated air bases within striking distance of the American supply lines to Guadalcanar and protecting the south-eastern approaches to their key base, Rabaul. “Thus Allied air superiority in the South Pacific, enabling the enemy bases to be rendered practically untenable by their air fleets, is an indispensable prerequisite to our further advances,” adds the paper. “Only the growth of our air power, both in the South and the South-west Pacific theatres, will prepare the way for the piercing of the defensive but still threatening arc which Japan is feverishly completing from the Celebes to the Solomons.”

War commentators here point out that the strength of Admiral Halsey’s naval forces has been comfortingly indicated by Japanese discretion.

Throughout Australia a keen sense of loss is being felt at the sinking of the Chicago, which came to Australia in March, 1941, as the flagship of the American squadron. It has been announced that the city of Chicago proposes to raise 12,500,000 dollars to replace the lost warship, which was known as “the gangster of the Pacific.”

The New York Times declares editorially: The Japanese losses in accomplishing their mission of evacuating their forces from Guadalcanar were not over heavy from the enemy standpoint. The paper, pointing out that undisclosed damage may have been inflicted upon American ships, claims that American naval losses were substantial.

“Apparently the descent of the Japanese rescue fleet, with battleships and ’carriers, almost synchronised with the approach of the American task force convoying the transports to Guadalcanar,” adds The Times. “Twenty enemy destroyers took the remnants of their beaten force from Cape Esperance when our main naval forces swept northward. Japanese capital units from Truk withdrew to safer waters, pursued by our ships and planes. It was in this flight that the Japanese suffered their chief

U.S. PLANES ATTACK JAP BASES

(Recd. 6 p.m.) Washington, Feb. 17. A Navy Department communique states: "During the evening of February 15, three United States planes attacked . Japanese positions in the Short land area, and one plane dropped bombs on enemy positions on Ballale Island. One plane failed to return. During the evening Liberators, with an escort, attacked the Japanese airfield at Kahili, on the south-east coast, of Bougainville Island. One escorting plane failed to return.