The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-21
SOLOMON ISLANDS
 PROVIDE BASES
Continued from Page D
there when the Marines struck


 From air bases in the Tuliga- Guadalcanal area, bombing planes would be within easy flying distance of Japanese bases. On New Britain, the Japanese have a major one at Rabaul. The main enemy position on Bougainville, westernmost and largest of the Solomons, is at Kieta, where there is large airfield.
 With the Allies in possession of the southeastern Solomons, they now have bases from which to eX- tend their domination over the rest of the group. Should the Allies find it possible to seize Bougainville, the tenability of Japanese positions at Rabaul and Salamaua and Lea on New Guinea would be seriously threatened.
 New York, Aug. 21-CUP)-The British radio, in broadcast reord- ed by the United Press listening post in New York, said today that Amer ican Flying Fortresses had carried out a strong attack against Japan csc warships off the Solomon islands. The broadcast said the attack was made from land bases jn Australia and that details of the operation were not yet complete.
 Tokyo Gives Us News
 Tokyo, Aug. 21-(Japanese Broad cast Recorded By UP in New York Japanese Imperial Headquarters to- day revealed that American forces have landed on Maxim Island northernmost of the Gilbert group and have been fighting there fol four days.
 (No American communique has yet reported such & landing. Int Japanese report. If correct, indicate: that American forces have slipped into the virtual center of the hor. nets nest of Japanese island bases in the Gilbert, Marshall and Caro. line Islands.
 The communique reported that the American forces-said to mum. Der only approximately 200 troops had Eeen driven back" It did no specify to what point the Americans had been driven.
 The landing of U. s. forces wa! said to have been carried out Aug IT.
 The small size of the American force indicated in the Japanest communique might mean that tn, U. s. Troops were raiding party landed to destroy Japanese installa. tions and then attempt a suicide getaway.
 (The Gilbert and Marshall Island! were attacked by American maya forces in January, in a tank forct action designed to pulverize Japan csc naval and plane bases in thu island group.
 To Hamper Jap
 (The American action presumabl. was designed to hamper Japaness attempts to threaten the long lin' of communications between Hawai- and Australia. The Gilberts con stitute one of the most advanced Japanese island bases threatening this route.
 ct was presumed that the Ameri can action in the Gilberts was par of a general plan of tactical often sive moves, similar to the heavy at tack on the Solomons. designed t, break up Japanese preparations fo further creeping thrusts against Al lied sea routes).
 The British-mandated Gilbert Is lands were occupied by the Japan ese soon after the Pacific wa l started.
 Maxim, at the northern side o the group, is 2,800 miles northeas of New. Guinea, about 1,275 mile northeast of the Tulagi area wher United States Marines landed il the southern Solomons Aug. ' an, about 2,40O miles southwest of Ha waii.
 Immediately to the north are tn Japanese -mandated Marshall Is lands and to the west of the Mar shals are the heavily fortified Car oline Islands of the Japanese man dated area.
 Govt. Is Silent ! Washington. Aug. 21. (UP)-Th navy department declined common today on Japanese assertions tha an American attack on Maxim Islant in the Gilbert group had beel driven back. K
 Maxim was one of the island which were battered in surpris raid by Pacific fleet task force ol the Gilbert and Marshall group last Januarl 31..
 That attack cost the Japanese i ships, including a A'>''.~ ~As.~"''e"-