Evening star., 1942-12-27
War Prospects
Thumb.Nail Review and
1943 Forecast
Fy the Associated Press.


By the Associated Press.
l. WESTERN PACIFIC-For most Of
1912 this was one-way war with Japan
expanding steadily and the Allies giving
ground: Manila. January l.: Singapore.
February Is; Bataan, April g: Corregidor,
May g. Burma, in May. Toxic felt
Jimmy Doolittle's bombs April 10. United
States Flying Tigers paced Chinese in
fantrymen who hastened enemy's planned
withdrawal from Eastern China to bolster
New Guinea and Solomon fronts.
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-If the flow
of supplies across the Pacific via India
and the new Burma road to China per-
mits, Allied bonlbers from Shangri-la
may carry the war to Japan's mainland.
Gen. Stilweu may march back into
Burma.
2. SOLOMONS-NEW GUINEA - The
Solomon Islands and part OF New Guinea
fell to Japs early in the year. Then the
marines landed August on Guadalcanal
and Tulagi. On October 11-12 strong
Jap naval units we're driven from the
Solomons; November 1915, United States
Navy smashed the Jap feet there Gen.
Macarthur moved up from Australia to
Port Moresby captured Kokoda, Novem-
Der 3; Coma, December g, Buna, De-
cember IA
POSSIBILITIES FOR '43-Japs may
lose their grasp on this area. Completion
OF Allied offenslveS may open a sea-air-
land drive north to the island stepping
stone route to Philippines and Toxic.
3, INDlA-While awaiting japanese
invasion that did not come, India con-
tinued arguing with England and herself.
Gandhls passive resistance flared into
violent resistance to British
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-India may
be assembly point for proposed invasion
OF Burma.
4. PEARL HARBOR MIDWAY-The
United States entered the war at Pearl
Harbor, spent much of 1912 salvaging the
Wreckage of her Pacific Fleet. In the
battle OF Midway, beginning June 4,
| japanese invasion fleet was smashed.
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Repaired
! and strengthened, these Pacific outposts
Will concentrate on pushing Allied sea
and air units westward on the offensive.
| s. ALASKA-Jap 'diversonary" bomb
| ing of Dutch HarbOr June became an
/ invasion June II of the Aleutian Islands.
SIX months later Japs still held the
| outermoSt islands. Americas Alaskan
| position was bolstered by the opening
| November 20 of the Alcan highway.
POSSIBILITIES FOR '43-Heightened
aerial and naval attacks supported by
Alcan highway reinforcements, may
| blast Japs out of Aleutians build two
new Pacific air routes-supplies to Rus
sia, bombers to Japan.
6. NORTH ATLANTIC - This front
opened January Ia when an Axis subma-
rine torpedoed the first ship in United
States coastal waters. Oil tanker sink
lngs caused gasoline and fuel oil short
ages On the Atlantic seaboard Subma-
rlnes landed Nazi spies June 27 on Long
Island and Florida.
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43 United
States shipyard workers who put more
than eight million tons of new shipping
to sea in 1912 hope 1943's production will
exceed rate of sinking; new patrol ships
will ease sub menace.
|
started here November 7 when United
| States troops invaded French Morocco
and Algeria, won Darlan and Dakar bv
diplomacy, gained another victory in the
| scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon
| november 27. Preface to this was British
/ stand July at Ell Alamein, halting Rom
mels drive on Alexandria; and their
counter-offensive begun October "a, rout-
! ing Rommel there and again at Ell
Agheila December l3.
! POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Allied lead
erS tax OF Africa as Springboard for
INVASION OF Europe. Possibilities are
/ Greece, the Balkans Yugoslavia, Italv,
French coast, Spain, South Atlantic
submarine attacks may decline with AL
lied use of Dakar's air and sea bases,
shorter African supply lines.
| .. CENTRAL AFRICA-United States
troops landed in Liberia, the Gold Coast.
Belgian Congo, built way stations for
| United States-Egypt and Russia and
India air ferry, forwarded planes and
! guns that helped lick Rommel.
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Important
Tor Atlantic antl-submarine operations.
this area probably will play secondary
! role once North Africa is won.
| 3. CARIBBEAN SEA - Submarines
moved south to the Caribbean and creat-
ed havoc after finding the waters farther
! north too hot. Axis submarine shelled
Oil refinery at Arubo February 10, an
other needing supplies was driven off
Costa Rica's shores in November
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Agreement
with Martinique leaders following Dar-
lans switch in Africa should eliminate
possibility of sub bases there.
10. EN- ROUTE TO MURMANSK-
American and Allied merchant seamen
fought one of the wars bitterest year.
round battles here against Axis subma-
rineS and dive bombers
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Shipbuild-
ing should help this battle TOO Raids on
Axis subplane bases on Norway's shores
may clip convoy attacks.
IL. RUSSIA-For 10 months of 1942
this was the first and only European land
front. Russia early in 1912 drove the
Nazls back but gave ground before the
Nazi spring and summer drives. Sevas-
topol fell July l. Stalingrad withstood
a five-month siege and December coun-
terattacks trapped Nazi troops before the
wrecked city, simultaneous with Red as
saults on the Smolensk northern front.
POSSIBILITIES FOR 43-Giant Rus