Evening star., 1942-03-14
WaveI| Plans 10 Fight
With Mobile Troops
And Strong Air Arm
Significantly Hints Russio
Is Pistol Pointed at
Heart Of japan

BY the Associated Press.
NEW DELHI, India. March a
Britain's Gen. Sir Archibald P.
Wavell last night disclosed his plans
for defending Eastern India with
mobile ground forces and hard
striking air arm capable of both
defense and attack and dropped the
significant hint that from the other
side Soviet Russia, right now, Is "a
pistol pointed at the heart" of Japan.
Now general officer commanding
both India and Burma, Gen. Wavell
outlined in broad detail his prob
lens, tasks and hopes at a press
conference.
Gen. Wavell termed the defense
of India problem "of very close
cooperation between the three serv-
ices and of treating 1t as such; of
building up a strong air force in
Northeast India which will not con-
tent itself with defense but will
attack the enemy and will be one
of our principal means of safeguard
ing India"
New airdromes are being built and
the present air strength is being
reinforced constantly, Gen. Wavell
declared, and regular naval forces
are being augmented by armed
f1otillas of vessels requisitioned from
civilian uses.
Mobile Reserves Held Ready.
Every preparation is being made
to meet the threat of a seaborne
Japanese expedition" he added.
On land it obviously is impos-
sible to construct beach defenses as
has been done in England. 1t is our
intention to meet the possibility of
invasion by mobility and attack and
not by attempting to hold defensive
lines.
The defense of India will be
based mainly on holding within
striking distance of threatened
points mobile reserves which can
move to meet and attack the enemy. |
Defenses are being prepared at i'm
pOrtant communications centerS and |
river crossings to serve as points of
maneuverS for these forces-to give |
them rapidity and security of
movement which will be denied to
the enemy"
He continued:
When military position looks
serious and difficult. the best tonic
is to consider the difficulties of the
enemy. There is no possible doubt !
of the difficulties and dangers under
which Japan is suffering.
Russia Pistol at Japan's Heart.
"She is operating on an enormous
front and at considerable distance
from home. Besides, she always has
to consider the danger from Man
churia, where the Russian position is
like pistol pointed at the heart of
her home country
Her supplies of essential war ma
terials are limited to her manufac-
turing capacity. Possible replace
ments for losses in aircraft, of which |
she already has lost considerable
numbers, are comparatively small;
certainly very small when compared
with the resources of her enemies. |
Around her are mighty nations
mightier if Russia comes in"
Gen. Wavell said much the same !
story" was true of the campaign in
Burma so far as of the lost battle
of Malaga and Singapore.
I'VE were not sufficiently pre-
pared" he said. "Reinforcements
arrived too late, and, in the same |
way, they were not trained suff1-
GENTLY"
New Communication Lines.
Now, he said. every effort is being
made to establish new communica-
ton lines with the British forces in
Burma which virtually we're cut off |
from India's arsenals through the |
loss of Rangoon.
japanese occupation of the chief |
Burmese seaport and with it of a
large part of lower Burma, he ac-
knowledged, was a blow more grave,
in some respects, than the fall of |
Singapore.
"It brings the war much closer to |
India" Gen. Wavell declared, "and |
threatens our communications with |
our Chinese ally"
The immediate danger is a prob |
able japanese attempt to drive into
upper Burma Ito cut the link with |
China and obtain bases from which |
India may be attacked or threat
ened," he went on.
He promised any such enemy ef-
fort would be combatted ito the ut
most Of our resources"