Imperial Valley press., 1942-07-29
Jops No Push over Soy
Ex-|nternees at Tokyo
'-p-s--

EDITORS NOTE: Here is a
balance sheet of the Pacific war
by two veteran Far Eastern cor
BY RICHARD c. WILSON 81
ROBERT T. BELLAIRE
Copyright 1912 by the United
PRESS
LOURENCO MARQUES, Portu-
guese East Africa, Delayed, July
27 - CUP) - Don't underestimate
the Japanese. There IS no easy
road to victory in the Pacific war.
That is the conclusion of two
American reporters who reached
this neutral port en- route to New
York after years of service in the
Far East and six months of Japa-
neSe internment.
We and our Allies are fighting
strong, well-prepared fee. He has
seized vast potential resources. He
is grinding millions of people, in
cluding his own, under maximum
hardships to exert the greatest pos
sible military strength against us.
He will risk anything and every
thing in this all or nothing gamble.
MUST MATCH HIM
Victory over such a foe requires
willingness to match the Japanese
in effort, determination and sacri-
flee.
En- Route to Lourenco Marques,
we compared notes and tried to
reach conclusions that might help
our countrymen understand what
we are up against in this war; what
the enemy has been able to achieve
and to what extremes he has gone
and is prepared to go.
The Japanese war lords have
spent years building up and test
ing a war machine designed to con-
uuer Asia and overcome western
influence and prestige. They are
ingenious and have the aid of cap
able technicians and inventors. Ut
would be a grave error to regard
them as mere imitatorsD They are
ready to fighu On Tor years if neces-
sary; to strike at Russia when and
If the right moment arrives.
WELL EQUIPPED
The Japanese military machine Is
well-equipped. The soldiers are
tough. often savage, and well
trained for particular tasks, al
though they show up best in team
like routine operations and may
crack up when caught off guard or
when confused by a surprise attack
or unexpected maneuver
The fighting at Hong Kong Of
fers an interesting example The
japanese had prepared for the at
tack for years. Their methods,
such as sneaking through old sew
err tunnels as the artillery and air
attack began, were well coordinated.
Their soldiers each had rubber
shoes fer quiet movement and to
cling to the rugged hills.
They were prepared, if necessary
for a much longer and harder fight
for the British outpost island, hav-
ing moved up their heaviest artil-
lery for final assault which did
not prove necessary because of eff
ficient handling CT smaller cannon.
The big guns were later moved
southwark without having been
fired. The entire assault was car
ried out without regard for losses,
which were heavy, but with ma
: chine-like precision and often with
cold blooded killing Of prisoners.
NOT IMPRESSIVE
But when something goes wrong
or when something unexpected oc-
ours. the Japanese machine is less
: impressive. An example was the
American bombing raid on Tokyo,
which resulted in such confusion
that the city's defenses seemed al
most unable to operate and some
anti aircraft guns apparently fired
ON their own planes. This confu-
sion was reflected in contradictory,
excitable statements and claims
later repudiated-and the inability
of Japanese fighters to challenge
the Americans seriously.
japanese equipment, especially
that used in China has often
been old or out-mooed, but usually
proved sufficient for the intended
purpose except in aerial encounters
with American fliers or in traps
laid by the Chinese. But that must
not be regarded as meaning that
the enemy does not have new or up
to-date equipment.
The Japanese navy fighter plane,
known as the Zero, copied the best
features of western-built fighters,
2 but japanese mechanical ingenuity
such as has been demonstrated fire.
quently in industrial fields in the
past, added certain important fea-