Imperial Valley press., 1941-12-08
BY DON DILLON

United Press Staff Correspondent
Japan appeared today to be in
for a war on one of the widest
fronts in modern history.
The Philippines themselves COM
prise some 1000 Islands, about hall
OF which are inhabited-and recent
increases in United States military
strength there have erased the the
cry they could not avoid full Sub
juGation for more than Il week.
There ale hundreds OF miles of
Scarce-dcfenied coastal areas in
the Philippines, as in Boneo and
the EaSt indies. where major land
ingS could be cIteCued. But from
there Oh the terrain is usually diff
ficult-the kind that makes opera
tiOns by tanks and mechanical fore
es exceedingly hazardous.
Any Japanese attempt to capture
Manila would doubtless be made by
the back door method. For guard
ing the narrow entrance OF Manila
Bay is COrregidOr Island where
the Army'S long guns COM
mand all sea approaches to the
capital.
Food and military supplies for
COrregido1 are buried deep under
grOumd-itS tunnels are rcputCd to
go 700 feet decp-and as of a year
ago military men said the fortress
could Withstand a siege OF six
months or more.
ASIATIC FLEET OLD
The United States ASiatic fleet
has long been admittedly oyer-age
and no match Tor even a portion
of the Japanese fleet. The Asiatic
fleet under Admiral Thomas c..
Hart is distinguished from the main
Pacific fleet based at Hawaii and
the continental Pacific coast.
Development OF Sundays hostili-
ties into full-fledgcd war would
give rise Immediately to poSsibili~
ties OF American air attack against
Japan it Self-With planes based in
the northern Philippines or flying
from aircraft carriers.
It is about /, 500 miles from Luzon
biggest island in the Philippines
group to Tokyo and somewhat less
than that to Osaka. the big indus
trial center known as the Chicago
OF Japan
This is extreme bombing range
for even the most modern planes
carrying fun loads of bombs. But
it has been obvious for the past
two years that American fighting
forces have been preparing for The
possibility of such attacks.
BASES PREPARED
Some l8 months ago the Army
Ecgan lengthcning the runWayS of
air fields scattered throughout the
Philippines. This was to aCcOmmo-
GATE modern bombcrs previously not
seen in the ISLANDS. Such planes
Immediately began arriving at Mic
hOls Field, the main airbase at the
south edge of Manila; at Clark
Field, in central Lu2on, and other
bases.
Corregidor's big guns protect the
main naval station at Cayitc, at
IIlt SOulIltl IL IIlIltl lllOutIl VI Md-
Mia Bay, but beyond the range
OF these guns is the naval repair
station at Olongapo, on the China
Sea coast of Luzon some SO miles
from Manila.
American Warships were not eX-
pcCted to be able to make full use
of either CaVite or Olongapo. 1t
was considered more likely that
basing and repairs would be done
in Singapore, the use of which has
been granted to the us. Navy by
Britain.
ACCURACY IMPOSSIBLE
Obviously, any figures on Amcri-
can military and naval strength in
the Philippines would be mere
Gucsses. TIKI United States has
no secret of the fact the defenSes
were being strengthened, but their
extent has been a closely guarded
secret.
More than two years ago the Navy
began sending SquadrOnS of long
range Consolidated flying boats for
patrol work in the Philippines area
CCincidcntally the Philippines Army
under Lieut.. Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thur. former U. S. Army chief OF
state. began experimenting WITH
speed torpedo bearing mosquito
boats" for defense against enemy