Evening star., 1942-10-09
Blasted Life Lines.

tween the current Japanese retire
ments in the Aleutian Islands and
in New Guinea. In both cases i'm
portant positions were evacuated
without fighting because they had
become untenable through the dis
ruption OF vital supply lines by dev-
astating bombardment from the air.
Since more is known concerning the
New Guinea operation, it may be
we'll to develop the parallel from
that side.
Somewhat over month ago,
picked Japanese jungle troops drove
over the Owen Stanley Mountains,
forcing the Australian defenders
back within what looked like striking
distance Of Port Moresby, the main
Allied base. The situation appeared
extremely serious, and would have
been If the Japanese could have
established an effective supply sys-
tenn. Here, however, is where air
power stepped In. Commanding the
New Guinea skies, American and
Australian planes systematically
smashed at the Japanese communi-
cations, not merely the overland Sec
tor from the battle front to the land
ing places on the north coast, but
all the way back along the Japanese
sea lanes to their main bases on New
Britain Island. The upshot was that
the invaders began precipitate re-
treat, and the extremities to which
they had been reduced have been
disclosed by the advancing Aus
tralians, now over the crest of the
mountains, who discovered the bodies
OF many Japanese soldiers who had
died of sheer starvation. Consider
ing that the Nipponese fighting man
can live on a handful of rice, that
implies complete severance of their
communications. ..
Similar difficulties are logically i'm
piled by the recent japanese with
drawal from the islands of Attu and
Agattu, and their concentration at
ktska, their last remaining foothold
in the Aleutians. From the very
beginning OF their occupation of
those islands four months ago, the
invaders were harried by American
air raids, supplemented by subma-
rine forays. Besides the damage
done to shore installations, a heavy
toll Of japanese shipping has been
taken, totaling SO ships sunk or
damaged, and 40 planes destroyed.
A number of qualified observers have
contended that the Japanese were
paying an exhorbitant price for their
Aleutian seizures. AS Navy spokes-
man has just put 1t, they blundered
into rat trap"
The Japanese situation in the
Aleutians, already serious, has be-
come far worse since the establish
ment of American air bases in the
nearby Andreanof Islands, one of
which is only 125 nautical miles from
Kiska. Since then, the japanese have
been continuously blasted by what
amounts to a shuttle service of
bombing planes under fighter escort.
Winter Is coming on in that Arctic
region. The Japanese garrison, esti-
mated at 10000, is housed in tents,
and the Toxic radio admits that they
are suffering from snow and biting
winds. Our air reconnaissance re-
ports not only severe damage to
shore installations but virtual ab-
sence Of shipping. That, Of course,
means that practically no supplies
are coming through. And the bleak,
treeless Outer Aleutians offer moth
ing In the way Of local sustenance
or shelter.
Whether the japanese intend to
hang on at Kiska or attempt q get
away, they may well be approaching
| q state Of destitution similar to that
Of their comrades In the New Guinea
jungles. The indications are that.
unless their communication line
across the Pacific can be restored
and maintained, the AleutiaH ex-
| psdition viii end n dire failure.