Evening star., 1942-08-12


dinary planning David Lawrence.
and execution. But the disembark-
ing under fire Of troop bearing
transports, protected by naval and
air forces, is something which in the
first World War didn't happen. The
nearest thing to it was the British
expedition Ut Gallipoli.
In the last World War an Ameri-
can Army was transported 5000
miles overseas heavily conveyed by
naval vessels against submarine at
tack. The ravages of the land
based bombing airplane were not
then a part of enemy naval opera
tons. Infinitely more dangerous
than ever before because the supply
line extends so many thousands of
miles back to a base, the American
Expeditionary Force that has landed
In the Solomon Islands this week is
confronted with more hazards than
any landing units ever sent out un-
der our flag.
To the American people who were
naturally impatient for action by
the United States Navy in Decem-
Der and January, just after the
Pearl Harbor attack, the distances
involved counterattack and the
magnitude of the preparations
needed were not fully realized.
It has literally taken months to
build up the strategy and materials
which the invasion of the Solomon
Islands encompasses today. First
the Navy had to make sure of a
series Of conveys to Australia.
Proved Defensive Strength.
That was the primary Job and
while not all the planes and fuel
and troops needed for Australia
have been shipped as yet, the Navy
has been heavily occupied in that
task and could not do anything
elsewhere except on a hit-and-run
basis so as to keep the Japanese
fleets worried in the northern Sec
tor. Each time the Japanese sought
to break the California Australia
line by venturing down toward Aus
tralia through the Coral Sea and
later by a maneuver toward Mid
way, the United States Navy had
an ample defensive force on hand
to thwart such steps Having In
fiicted severe defeats, the American
Navy then was able to organize a
counteroffensive.
It may be assumed that this Of
fensive has been started at the
earliest possible moment, even
though eight months have elapsed
since the Navy was caught mapping
at Hawaii. In fairness to the Navy,
1t must be stated the full mobiliza-
ton of the fleet had never been Or
dered by the Washington authori-
ties prior to December 7, 50 that
putting the Navy on war basis
and caring for the far distant out
posts was a job imposed suddenly
on q one-ocean Navy which was
never intended to fight two ocean
war with It's 1912 strength.
To overcome dificulties of supply
and transport, to be able. neverthe-
less, to win two major defensive bat
ties and to begin now only eight
months after the war started an
offensive that is on the scale re-
ported from the Solomons is an ac-
complishment 80 tremendous that
the thrill Of it is doubtless not yet
appreciated by the average person.
A Navy Show"
The occupation of the Solomons
was bound to be costly. The Ameri-
can naval chiefs doubtless figured
this out in advance and coolly took
the risks. The Japanese have never
made a major landing since the war
began without losing some surface
ships as well as protecting planes,
but the objective usually has been
attained.
1t is significant that the move
ment into the Solomons Is called q
Navy show" by Gen. MacArthur's
headquarters. This means merely
that Americas high command has
not been Influenced unduly by the
single air force" propaganda and
has left to the American Navy the
conduct of amphibious warfare ex-
actly as the Toxic government from
the start of this war has given the
Japanese navy full control over
surface and air and land operations
when engaged in invasion tactics.
Once the shores are occupied 1t is
expected that the troops and the
land based planes will operate un-
der Army orders in cooperation
with naval commands.
Nobody is Understanding the
value OF air power. In fact. the
purpose of the attack on the Solo,
mons is to acquire air bases for
further attacks on the Gilbert and
Marshall Islands In the north and
eventually for the raids on Toxic.
This means land-based plane pro-
lection also for the advancing units
of our hawai- fleet as they move
into Chinese waters to interrupt
eventually the japanese sea lanes
to the rubber plantations Of the
Dutch East Indies and to form a
junction with land-based planes o.
the United States Army now be-
ginning such magnificent operations
within Chinese territory.
The road ahead will be costly in
men, ships and planes but it means
taking the offensive that must be
taken in order to defeat Japan
sometime within the next two years.
Its . slow process requiring infinite
patience.