EFFORT IN PACIFIC

Waikato Times, Volume 193, Issue 22198, 18 November 1943, Page 6

EFFORT IN PACIFIC

MISCONCEPTION REMOVED AMERICAN RESOURCES PLANS FOR HOLDING WAR (Special Australian Correspondent) (Received Nov. 18. 3.15 D.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 18 The statement by General MacArthur's .spokesman that the southwest Pacific has something less than ] 5 per cent of the United States’ mili- ! tary resources is aimed chiefly at correcting exaggerated ideas on the American home front of the volume cf war equipment supplied to this area. False estimates, it is felt, must discount what has been achieved with the resources supplied, and create the impression that much mere ! could have been done. It is not | denied that the south-west Pacific | strength has been substantially built | up in recent months, but the comments by General Mac Arthur’s' spokesman are interpreted as challenging the statement of Rear-Ad-miral Young that American supplies 1 are reaching this area in quantities; sufficient for large-scale operations j against the Japanese. Allocations, it is stated, have never exceeded the requirements of a “holding war,” of whiah the current threat to the Japanese base at Rabaul | is regarded as a part. However, the, figures mentioned by the official 1 spokesman do not include any of the - South Pacific air, land or sea j strength from which substantial task i forces have been drawn for the co- j ordinated New Guinea—Solomons i campaign under General Mac- 1 Arthur’s command. These forces | were assigned to General MacArthur I under the tactical command of the I Allied commander in the South i Pacific, Admiral Halsey. It is understood the air allocations and replacement schedules for the various war theatres are shortly to be reviewed in the light of campaign i and strategical needs.