Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03

port of the Jap
anese Army's Mai. Eliot.
landing forces on the island. No
navy withdraws in this fashion and
abandons its army comrades unless
it is compelled to do so. Nothing
can be more damaging to morale or
to that confidence and cooperation
between the forces so essential in
amphibious warfare, quite aside
from the material results Of such an
action. ,v
Now we are getting some of the
details which fill in the picture Of
last weeks fighting. On Monday,
October 26. a powerful japanese
force-including some of the older
battleships of the Kirishima GLASS;
cruisers and destroyers-was inter-
copied by American forces northeast
of Guadalcanal. What the objective
of this japanese force was is uncerr
tain-it may have been Guadalcanal
itself, or it may have been some
point farther to the east. Our arr.
craft put two battleships, two car
riers and three cruisers out of action,
with loss of one carrier and one
destroyer on our side.
Second Attack Damaging.
The japanese withdrew-appar-
emily to BUN and Rekata Bay, two
of their temporary bases in the
Northwestern Solomons. Here they
were fercely attacked again, both by
aircraft from Henderson Field on
Guadalcanal and by aircraft of Gen.
MacArthur's forces operating from
Australia, Port Moresby and prob
ably from Milne Bay, at the eastern
tip of New Guinea. They suffered
further heavy damage, the toll OF
which is not yet fully made up.
From the types of aircraft re-
ported as participating in these
operations it is apparent that some,
at least, of the planes belonging to
our lost or damaged carriers are now
operating from Henderson Field.
|
been happening-Gen. MacArthur's
long-range bombers had been
smashing heavily at the Japanese
base at Rabaul and our submarines
had been active on the japanese
lines of communication, torpedoing
five cargo ships, three tankers,
destroyer and a converted aircraft
carrier.
The result Of these efforts has
been that the japanese have not
been able to push their great attack
on Guadalcanal to a successful con-
clusion. They have succeeded in
landing some troops, though not a
great deal of equipment.
Jap Troops Isolated.
These troops are now left isolated
on Guadalcanal and our naval
forces are in command, for the time
being, at any rate, of the waters
around that island.
We are now in a position to re-
inforce and supply our troops and
marines on Guadalcanal, while the
Japanese cannot do so. This is the
situation as it now exists.
The situation is not dissimilar, in
the naval sense, to that following
the battle of Midway Island. The
japanese have made an attack and
they have been beaten off with very
heavy losses in ships sunk and dam
aged. The real value to our side
of this repulse will be measured,
however, by our ability to follow
it up. yr
If we can continue our pursuit.
of the japanese forces, SO as to CON-
vert damaged ships into lost ships
and prevent the regrouping of scat
tered units into new striking force,
and if, in particular. we can now
make more permanent advances and
occupy new base positions from
which to direct concerted attack
upon Rabaul, we can fairly claim
that this engagement has been the
opening round OF real victory. 81
Must Take Risks Now. ,nt
Our ability to do these things de.
ponds on three factors: Cd The
holiness, persistence and tactical
skill of unit commanders, both of
ships and aircraft; CD inflexible de-
termination on the part of the COM,
mander in chief to drive the fight
through to a decision and willing
ness to take risks in so doing; 80 the
availability of sufficient forces to
achieve that decision.
AS to the first, we have already had
sufficient demonstration, so that we
need have no anxieties on this score.
AS to the second, the record which
Vice Admiral William F.. Halsey, IT..
already has made in this war Is ade-
quate assurance both of his ability
and his stoutness Of heart. It Is only
the third factor which remains in
doubt. If we are strong enough to
follow up Our initial success a great
victory In the South Pacific is now in
sight. II we are not, then we may
expect the Japanese to return and
try again.
tcopyright. 1912. New York Tribune. Inc.l
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