The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-09
JAPAN REPoRTED ATTACKED

claims that Guam and Wake islands had been taken.
 Severe land fighting was in prog ress on the Mayala coast, however, as the Japanese sought to strike toward Britain's great naval base at Singapore.
 Japanese seizure of Thailand fa- cilitated the drive against north- western Malaga, but British dis. patches said that the enemy land- Ing parties which gained c foot. hold on the beaches near Kota Bharu airport were being wiped out.
 Northward, where Thalland joins Burma and 1ndo-china, the Jap. anese were said by the Berlin radio to have opened on attack on tpe Burma road supply route to Chitla.
 Japan was paying tho greatest at- tention to the position of Germany and the Soviet Union toward the Far Eastern war, and indicated that immediate help was expected from tl1e AXIS powers,
 The Japanese radio also Issued an indirect waNling to the soviets to keep out of the conflict, asserts Ing that Japanese-held Manchukuo is prepared to keep her northern frontiers intact Tokyo has fre- quently asserted that 1t would fight any attempt to establish Brish or American air bases In the VladiVoS- tock sector, from which attacks could be launched on Tokyo.
 Rome, possibly guided by wlshful thinking, seemed to sec Q chance that the current technically non-belligcrcnt relations between the Axis and the United States might continue indefinitely.
 On the actual Pacific far front there was action over 8,000.mile front but no major new develop mentS,
 situation tO Date
 Hawai-; Apparently quiet, No TO. ports of renewed Japanese activity; no new word on operations Of the U. S. battle fleet,
 Philippines: Japanese infliot small casualties in moonlight air raids di- rected chiefly at Nichols air field and Ft. Mckinley in Manila area Japanese landing reported-but not confirmed-on Lubang island, 90 miles from Manila.
 Guam: U, s. army comnlunlque admits sinking Of s40-ton mine. sweeper Penguin and Q handful Of casualties In Japanese attack on Guam; no confirmation that Japan csc now hold Guam.
 Japanese claims: offensive started against Burma road; 200 "enemy" ships seized in Pacific including 10, 500-ton liner President Harrison; Japanese troops enter Bangkok; Midway Island attacked, 1900 miles west Of Hawai-; claim destruction of 300 American planes ct Hawai- and Philippines.
 Singapore: More Japanese troops land on Malaga coast but British forces are successfully resisting; London claims number of Japanese landings Is so small operation Is only mop up".
 Melbourne: Australia and New Zealand formalize war against Ja- pan; Japanese bomb Nauru and ocean islands, southeast of Guam Wake.
 Behind the scene of this military action there was diplomatic activity on an even broader front.
 Important diplomatic activity was under way ct Kuibyshev, temporary Russian headquarters. Russia was officially silent on the Japanese ate tack but important developments were expected. A dispatch from United Press Correspondent Henry Shapiro, said that Russia has long recognized the strategic potentiali- ties of the Pacific war now under way.
 The dispatch did not indicate whether Russia will join the United States or make available her valu- able Far Eastern bases at Vladivos- tok and in Siberia for American planes and troops. Reports from London indicated Russia felt any participation in the Far Eastern war would weaken her main battle against Germany in the west.
 France, 1t appeared. was swinging rapidly into a full time position in the Axis orbit.
 Why Did It Happen
 The House naval affairs commit tee instituted an inquiry today to determine whether somebody was asleep" among the navy high com mard when Japanese planes launched their initially successful attack on Hawaii Sunday.
 The committee decided to ask Sec retary of Navy Frank Knox and Ad- miral Harold R. Stark, chief oi naval operations, to appear at a secret session tomorrow after Rep Beverly Vincent, D., Ky, in e public session questioned the fitness oi high naval officials and charged that somebody was asleep" when the Hawaiian assault was launched