FURTHER EMERGENCY MEASURES

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22648, 29 June 1945, Page 3

FURTHER EMERGENCY MEASURES

“SOONER INVASION COMES THE BETTER” CHINESE EAST COAST ADVANCE WASHINGTON, June 28 The Twentieth Air Force announced that more than 450 Super-Fortresses attacked the port cities of Sasebo, Moji and Nobeoka, on Kyushu, and the industrial city of Okayama, on Honshu, today. The American Press says Sasebo is one of the principal Japanese bases. I he Super-Fortresses dropped over 3000 tons of incendiaries, including the jellied petrol type. Ihe Prime Minister, Suzuki, had a special meeting today with seven former prime ministers. A special army command has been set up to defend Tokyo against invasion. Regional superintendents are to take over the functions of the Japanese military mission so that the country’s defence will not Le left to a central authority which invasion might prevent from functioning. Quoting a Domei correspondent who had just returned from a tour of special attack bases, the Tokyo radio said an enormous number of youths was being trained to man Japan’s new secret weapons, which were “almost equal in number to the tanks and guns used in the European war and which would create world'wjvide amazement when used against the invasion forces.” The radio commentator said that while all Japanese regretted the loss of Okinawa, Japan’s future was indeed bright, as the Allies w r ould soon attack the Japanese homeland. The earlier the attack came the better for Japan, as the battle array was complete. American troops have landed on six more islands in the Marianas and are cutting from the jungle more landing strips for Super-Fortresses. There was no sign of Japanese defences. A Chungking message says the Japanese are still retreating in Chekiang Province, south-east China. They are reported to be falling back on a town less than 150 miles south of Shanghai. Japanese forces are reported to be withdrawing from China’s rice bowl area around Tungting Lake and Changsha, Hunan Province, under a relentless attack by American planes, which blasted a 240-mile stretch of enemy retreat roads, says the United Press. General Wedemeyer’s communique reports bombing and strafing of Japanese columns retreating between Yochow and Changsha, with attacks continuing southward to Hengyang and Paoking. The Chinese High Command announced that the Chinese battling for Liuchow had seized part of the former American airfield southward of the city and captured a railway station in the western suburbs. Reinforced Japanese troops counter-attacked south-eastward but were repulsed.