Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-21
Japs Fooled
ByMacArthur
At Solomons
Next Stop 10 Be RobauI
Last Stop-TOkio
By PAUL MILLION

BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON. Aug 2l.-The
w first great offensive Amer
lean action, the invasion Of tho
Solomons. has not been fully
reported TO the public for a
very good, but unstated, reason.
II was not a battle, but the
beginning of the impaticntly
awaited campaign
1t was not like Midway or the
Coral Sea, a battle which ter
minated when the action was
over, but a hard, daring costly,
successful opening engagement.
The details, if officially told
would let the Japs know Just
about where and how it Will be
continued.
My own personal guess, how
ever, is that the next big stop
will be Rabaul. the center OF all
Jap bases in the southwestern
Pacific area-and the last stop
will be Toxic.
Skillful. deceptive American
propaganda enabled the blow to
be struck with devastating sur
prise.
WHILE the invasion force OF
W protective cruisers, destroy
ers and submarines (huddled
around our Transports was
Steaming secretly toward the
Tulagi area, the reports from
General MacArthur's Australian
headquarters were loudly, and
almost savagely, bewailing the
fact he had no cargo ships avail
able with which to start an
offensive.
This planned trick led Toxic
10 expect anything except what
happened.
The invasion force already
had arrived at appointed land
ing places, and was actually dis
embarking marines, as well as
other American and Australian
forces. before the Japs knew
what was up.
THERE was no major air or
Il sea engagement until the
night battle of August SO, the
very bitter and heavy engage
ment, in which our losses were
considerable-far less than the
Al ships claimed by the Japs.
This night battle will be
shown as one of the most dra-
matte naval engagements in all
history. when the details are
divulged. Jap cruisers and sub
marines, having learned of the
landings, which were started II
hours or more earlier. dashed
for the Decentralization points,
in an effort to wreck our trans
ports, which were then still
landing troops.
They never reached their des-
tination.
The Japs said the action was
so closely fought that one of our
cruisers actually ran into one of
theirs, in the darkness, 1t could
be.
WE HAVE admitted only
w close range fighting,
which brings a vivid scene of
dozens of cruisers, deStroyers
and submarines on both sides,
cropping around in darkness.
without any assistance from air
planes, flashing on their search
lights at the slightest sight of
dark objects, and then letting
go whole broadsides at point
blank range. Whoever fired first
was the winner.
Losses naturally were very
heavy on our side and theirs,
but what counts is the indisput-
able fact that since that night
not a sign of Jap surface ship
was seen in those waters.
We got the Solomons. They
retreated. No apology for our
losses therefore seems war
ranted even if they came any
where near the Jap claims --r-
No mention has been made in
any communiques about air
fields in that vicinity There IS
supposed TO be one on the Brit
iSh golf course at Tulagi and
another one good enough for
bombers on Guadacanal
Truth is. the laps had many
small fields Strewn around, not
only in Guadacanal and the
Florida islands but particularly
in Bougainville and Buka 10 the
northwest.
Macarthur aided our sea and
land forces in the area, not only
with his publicity trick, but by
daily hurting his bombers at RAJ
haul. far TO the northwest IN
New Britain Island. Al this
main Jap base he hit the air
drome and sunk at least two
15,000-ton ships and several
smaller ones.
This 10 tho nrd Of tho Nuinfnr.