Evening star., 1942-04-18
Air-Ruid Alarms
Sounded Over
Wide Area
~ the Associsted Press.

Warplanes bearing the United
States insignia bombed Toxic
and at least three other great
Japanese cities for the first time
in history today, strewing death
and destruction across an 800
mile trail in a bold daylight as
sault that stirred bitter outcrie,
from the japanese people.
The raiders. striking at noon
dropped pound incendiariel
and high explosives In the indus.
trial suburbs Of the capital and alst
attacked Yokohama, Kobe and Ma
goya.
Toxic reports insisted that only
schools. hospitals and residential
sections were hit. and that the
damage was slight No bombs
fell in Toxic proper. It WAS said
but two theaters in the capital can
celed their matinees.
While the japanese bitterly as
sailed what they described as ''in-
discriminate bombing" the Toxic
radio quoted a high Japanese Of
ficial as urging the populace not
TO become panicky.
"The British have endured deluges
OF bombs for more than two full
years II we lose our composure
the Americans and British will clap
their hands and laugh al U.s." said
Mamoru Shigemitsu, Toxic Foreign
once adviser.
Incendiary Bombs.
Imperial Toxic headquarters said
the raiders-which possibly operated
from United States aircraft carriers
lying hundreds of miles of Japan
showered small incendiary bombs in
the Toxic vicinity and asserted the
missiles were not capable of caus-
ing serious damage"
Domei reported that no damage
was done In the immediate neigh
borhood of the Mikados imperial
palace, in the aristocratic Kojimachi
quarter. where the embassies, lega-
tions and government buildings are
situated.
"The imperial family is safe" a
communique said.
The Japanese command acknowl-
edged that the surprise assault
sprang afraid alarms through
three Of the four main islands of
Japan.
Nine planes were reported shot
down, indicating the attackers were
in considerable numbers. Even a
10 per cent loss is considered high,
and on this basis as many as 80
planes may have taken part in the
spectacular foray.
Identified as American Planes.
Identification of the planes came
from a Toxic broadcast which as
serted;
American planes raided Toxic
for the first time. bombing hospitals
. dropping bombs on the Toxic
suburbs where there are no military
objectives, but residents, houses AND
schools"
The Japanese Embassy In Buenos
Aires. Argentina. said fatty the at
tacking planes were American.
Toxic is the worlds third largest
city, with a population of 100000.
The War and Navy Departments
in Washington had no confirmation
or the Japanese announcement ol
the bombing.
There was no indication of wher
a communique might be issued. Il
was pointed out that II the bombing
was a long distance attack, the air
craft would take many hours to re-
turn to their starting point, anc
that reports would be unavailable
until then.
Considered Essential.
Military observers have considered
mass onslaughts by air against th'
fiimsily constructed strategic cen
ters of Japan an essential prelim
mary of the all-out drive to cleal
the invaders from the Southwes
Pacific. Secretary Of War Stimsor
said yesterday the United State'
Army would be ready for the of
fenSiVe soon.
That such a bombing feat Is en-
tirely possible was shown by the de-
structiYe raid by a United State
Naval Air Force task force March
q on Marcus Island, within 1,00'
miles Of Japan. and the 13-bombe
attacks against Philippine bases thi
week which involved a 4,000-mil
round trip from Australian bases.
A German radio broadcast sait
that according 10 All unconflrmet
report in Toxic an American air
craft carrier was sunk of the cas-
coast of Japan today"
This was the only Axis report I,
hint at the possible origin of th
raiders. Axis reports frequently Civ
exaggerated or erroneous account
of Japanese claims. however. in
search for information.
ConceivaoH. the raiders coult
have struck from Vladivostok, i,
Russian Siberia across the marrow
Sea Of Japan, or even from tn
Aleutian Islands OF Alaska. Their
has been no indication. however
that Russia had become involve,
with her old enemy.
EaSt-to- West Direction.
The fact that Toxic was sttacke,
Arst and Kobe two hours later sug
rests an east-to-west direction. Sue
an attack might have come from
task force built around one or NOR
aircraft carriers approaching Japa
from the northeast, possibly coop
Grating with long-range bomber
from Dutch Harbor or elsewhere i
the Aleutians-
This is q season OF heavy foS
along the Kurile Island chat
stretching north from Japan an
such a task force might have bee
able TO come within short range ur
detected.
other possibilities include the u:
(See JAPAN, Page A-SJ