Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-13
Japan Chief Value
As Axis Ally Will Be
In Harassing Foe
She Hos Military Might
To Contribute, but Also
Hos Many Weaknesses
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
When Germany and Italy took
Japan into their partnership of con-
quest, this is what they acquired
tn military, naval and strategic aid:
An active overseas army OF
roughly 100000 men, 100000 of
them In Manchuria and the rest
in China-a force approximately
equal to that which the United
States hopes to have by next July
with 100000 trained reserves.
A navy at leas: three-fourths the
size of that of the United States,
weaker in some categories and
stronger in others, and we'll stu
ated with operating bases in and
surrounding its home waters and
potential field of operations.
An air force of about 5000 planes,
half of which are supposed to be
combat planes, and an active air
personnel of $1,000 men.
An ally with a strategic position
such as to make it threat and ir-
ritant, if nothing more, to the
major interests of the United States,
Great Britain and Russia in the
Far East.
Has Weaknesses, Too.
What Rome and Berlin also &C
ouired, however, was a partner with
some of their own weaknesses: A
costly war effort to support and
dearth of several resources impor-
tant, if not vital, to a sustained mill
tary and naval campaign.
A feudal state up until the period
of the American Civil War, Japan
brought its modern army into being
as recently as 1884, patterning it
after the best European models. Its
success in copying western war
methods was demonstrated in its
defeat of China in 1894-5 and Rus
STA in 19O4-5.
Somewhat significant is the fact
that its modern military tradition is
wholly German. While it is be-
leved to have advanced slightly be-
yond the United States in army
mechanization, it's armored units are
not comparable to those Of the ma
jor European powers, mechanical
equipment being unsuited in many
instances to Japan's mission in
China.
Ordained by its insular character
and maritime interests to become
a sea power, Japan has risen within
this century to rank among the big
1ive" of the worlds great naval
powers.
Navy Is Formidable.
A reliable estimate today gives
Japan $50 combat vessels of ,067 ,646
tons, against 407 ships of 1,343,155
tons for the United States Navy
She is reported to have II aircraft
carriers to 6 for the United States.
10 battleships to Is, about 20 heavy
cruisers to Is, some "a light cruisers
to 10 here, al destroyers to POI, and
"A submarines to 1902
In cases where Japanese vessels
outnumber those of the United
States. this Nations aircraft car
riers. light and heavy cruisers all
are larger Japan's IA submarines,
however. match the United States
l02 in tonnage.
Behind thick screen of secrecy
which the United States and other
nations are constantly attempting to
pierce. Japan has been adding to her
fleet Information leaking through
the censorship indicates that she is
building two 35,000-ton battleships
and six 45.000-ton battleships, to be
completed between 1912 and 1945.
Two battleships were launched
last year Eleven new destroyers
of 1000 tons have slid into the water
during the last "a months, and since
1887 at least 16 submarines of 1900
to 1000 tons were undertaken.
Got Some Planes Here.
At the same time, the United
States is beginning a 201 ship, 10 per
cent naval expansion due for COM
pletion by 1916. and those familiar
with Japan's resources do not be-
lieve she can match this Nations
shipbuilding pace.
Japan's air force was built up
greatly with foreign plane imports.
including United States ships until
recently. She has no considerable
aircraft industry Of her own, though
observers here believe the country
can maintain its air force at the
present strength without outside
help.
The United States has an Army
air force already larger than that of
Japan, plus naval aviation of 2.258
planes. 1872 of them, including 1,234
combat planes, rated as useful"
The present aim of defense officials
Is to push American aircraft pro-
duction to $4,000 military craft a
year by April. 1912
What assignment the japanese
army, navy and air force would re-
ceive In an axis war against Great
Britain, the United States or Rus
STA, or all three. may be judged from
. look at a map of the Pacific
Job Of Harassing.
Obviously unable to join forces
Will IlCI dlllCS III CSCllU pOSl-
ton. Japan would have the job Of
harassing the British in Malaga. at
Singapore or Hong Kong. the Rus
SLAMS on the Siberian border, if nee
essary, and the United States in the
Philippines and along its trade
routes to the east. Whether 1t would
risk attack on major British strong
holds or attempt to knock off weaker
points and blockade foreign trade is
Japanese naval power casts its
shadow across the seas over which
the United States moves 5 of the
II strategic materials which are es-
sential to a war effort and which
this country now must obtain wholly
or in large part from foreign sources
Those five items are: Manila fiber.
used for naval cordage. obtained
from the Philippines and Sumatra;
rubber, o. per cent Of the worlds
supply from the East Indies: silk,
used for powder bags. parachutes
and electrical insulations, 80 per
cent Of the worlds supply from