The Waikato Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1941 JAPAN TAKES THE PLUNGE

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21598, 8 December 1941, Page 4

The Waikato Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1941 JAPAN TAKES THE PLUNGE

ar has come to the northern Pacific in spite of all the efforts of the United States and Britain to avoid it. With the United States at war, Britain is involved too. Apparently the policies of Japan and of the Western democracies were so completely different that war was certain unless Japan changed her policy of aggressive expansion. That she has refused to do. It is now evident that the discussions at Washington were continued, perhaps with a faint hope that the United States would abandon its principles, but chiefly for the purpose of gaining time. Even while the Japanese envoys were still negotiating for an "honourable settlement,” Japan committed the first act of war—an attack on Hawaii and Manila. The move against Pearl Harbour, the United States naval base in Hawaii, thousands of miles away in the middle of the Pacific, was a bold and perhaps exceedingly dangerous stroke, surprising to the public but probably not to the United States Government.

Fortunately, Britain and the United States have for long realised the possibility of war with Japan. That is why a Far Eastern defence system was developed more or less independently of the European conflict. The result is that the new strain can be taken without seriously disturbing the plan of the war against Germany. Japan as an ally of Germany has been persuaded by Hitler to attack now in the hope that the pressure in Europe would be relieved. But Japan’s sparring for time has been of use to the United States and Britain as well. Democratic land and sea forces in the Far East have been immensely strengthened and placed under separate commands. Another important aspect is the position of Russia, which has powerful land, sea and air forces in the east.

It is too soon yet to gain an accurate impression of the shape of the attack, but the implications must be clear to everyone. There is no cause for panic but only to complete preparations for whatever demands might be made. The United States and Britain face the crisis with a clear conscience. History can record that they made every effort to avoid conflict. They have even made greater concessions to the Japanese than should ever have been made, or demanded. The break is the culmination of many years of growing strain in which Japan's ambitions have become unmistakable. Japan saw in the democracies’ preoccupation in Europe what it thought was a chance to realise its ambitions by stabbing the United States and Britain in the back. Japan, like Italy, has made a fatal mistake.