Evening star., 1942-01-12
Far Eastern Crisis

covers literally millions OF square
miles of mainland, island and sea.
It stretches from the froSt-bound
north of China to the sub-equatorial
insular chain of the Netherlands
Indies, and from our Hawaiian base
at Pearl Harbor to the British base at
Singapore. Over this vast expanse,
a complicated game of strategy is
being played between>J >Japan and the
A. B. c. D. powers. With almost dia-
bolical energy, the japanese are
throwing every ounce of their
strength into a supreme effort to
win a quick victory, and in every
sector except China they have scored
an uninterrupted series of successes.
But their man power and resources
are limited, and they must be
spreading themselves thin in their
multiple campaigns. Their varied
opponents, Strategically integrated
under a unified command, are re-
sisting desperately and are mobiliz-
ing rapidly for stonewall defense.
It is essentially race against time.
Thus far, the japanese have preached
the Allies outer positions at almost
every point, but the key strongholds
still stand These are Singapore,
Java and Chungking. Until at least
the first two have fallen, Japan has
not attained even provisional mas
terry over the Far East.
The darkest spot undoubtedly is
Singapore. The japanese admitted
ly are two-thirds of the way down
the long Malay Peninsula. and the
British show no signs Of being able
to do more than fight delaying ac-
tions, although increased British air
activity in Malaga indicates that re-
Inducements have arrived which
may partially dispute Japan's hither-
to local dominance of the air. Still,
that will not be enough to stop the
Japanese, who are reported to out
number the defenders five to one
At Japan's present rate of advance,
Singapore should be under direct
siege within a fortnight. Even
though the fortress itself can hold
out a long time, it could be masked
and thus rendered useless as a pro-
tecting bulwark for Java, the heart
of the great Netherlands colonial
empire, which is the richest prize.
Already the Netherlands Indies
are under multiple attack. It's
northern outposts, from Borneo to
Celebes, Amboina, and possibly New
Guinea, are targets for Japanese
raids or landings. Behind lies the
second island chain, from Sumatra
to Timor. And Timor lies danger
ously close to Port Darwin, the lone
base in Australia's undeveloped and
unpopulated north.
The one bright spot in this other
wise gloomy picture is China. There,
a Japanese large-scale offensive to-
ward Changsha has been smashed
with enormous casualties. This is
the third time Japan has tried to
capture this strategic center in
South Central China, which would
have opened through land route
to Canton and cut off the seaboard
provinces which still resist the Japa-
nese invaders. But each time the
attempt has failed, and this latest
drive has been the most costly of all.
Furthermore, the Chinese have taken
the offensive at several points all the
way from extreme north to south.
All this will at least prevent the
switching of any more Japanese
troops from China, and may compel
the sending Of reinforcements there
If the twisting 2,000-mile front in
China has been depleted below the
danger point. Chinas trained man
power is so abundant that part of it
is being transferred for action with
the British in Burma for an offensive
against Thailand and Indo- China
which might threaten Japan's COM
munications for the Malayan cam
paign. This Is the final complexity
in situation which must seemingly
soon develop decisively, one way or
the other.