Evening star., 1942-04-01
Tanks From Singapore
Used by japanese
In Capturing Java
Allied Command Left
While Enemy Was Still
Feinting Before Invasion
BY GEORGE WELLER,
was Correspondent Of The Star ant
Chicago Daily News.

Chicago Daily News.
SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA,
April From Java's loss to Aus
tralia's defense represents change
Of the Southwestern Pacific cam
paign from retreat to at least a
temporary stand, and from British
to American direction.
Singapore never was more than
an empty shell of base but belief
that the shell could Withstand attack
persisted in Dutch circles to such a
, degree that the Dutch bled their own
air forces to send fighter planes to
Singapore-Super- powered American
Brewsters. which, although decrepit
and totally unfit to meet Jap Navy
Zeros, were. nevertheless, faster
than the best fighters Britain then
possessed, half way through the
campaign.
While invading Malaga the Japs
had the advantage of a deep rear
whose narrow vulnerability the Brit
ish failed to exploit-the CONVOY
borne invading force was as fully
exposed to aircraft attack when it
left Sumatra. Borneo and Celebes
and approached the Java shore, as
scores Of crates of floating eggs.
The entire Java land campaign
has an air OF unreality even for
those who participated and re-
mained, as did your correspondent,
as close to the denouement as con-
sonant with escape.
Planes Still Uncrated.
AS your correspondent was guided
10 the last emerging ship by Tjilat-
jap's naval executive. the calm and
perfectly self-poised commander,
Bart Schokking, he saw seven beau
tiful American-made divebombers
' of the latest model, still uncrated,
lying on the docks. They we're
deadlier than any yet seen in Java's
skies. The day before he had seen
other cratesful aboard putting
freight train climbing from Tjilatjap
to Bandoeng. OF course, they we're
never assembled: trained American
pilots were never found to fly them
Whether they ended in Jap hands
depended on whether the Dutch
were able to destroy them in time,
which. given the Dutch record Of
demolition, Is probable.
At the same time, on the northern
side of Bandoeng plateau, the Japs
were smashing their way ahead with
British tanks captured in Malaga
For eight long weeks correspondents
In Singapore tried prayer, hints and
tnvocations, to get tanks. Armored
cars were totally inadequate on the
, narrow roads, either in Malaga or
Java. Fast In forward motion, they
proved death traps in action because
they could not be turned around in
the road.
When they reached ambushes or
road blocks, they had to be turned
around, and, because the roads were
narrow, often one Of their wheels
: slipped of into q ditch or paddy
swamp. Then usually they sank or
toppled over, their occupants being
disposed of by the Japs at leisure
Their reverse speed was about
miles an hour, meaning that a car
reaching ambush was usually de-
molished by Jap tank guns before
It could withdraw. Single tanks
were able, using single tread, to
turn within their own length.
The British managed TO get the
frst tanks TO Singapore day
the Singapore causeway was blown
up. These tanks were then used by
the Japs against the Dutch In Java.
Lost Before 1t Was Attacked.
The Dutch fought of the invaders
% bitterly, but hopelessly, and in many
cases stlicidally-never a good frame
of mind for victory. But the recog-
milton that Java was lost came
openly before Java was even at
tackled. Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell,
Air Marshal Sir Richard z. C. Peirse
and the command, including the
American Gen. George H. Brett and
Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton, left
while Jap conveys were still making
in the Java Sea their feints pre-
liminary to actual invasion two days
before the sea battle.
Their departure was made known
through an announcement in the
Netherlands Indies press and Gen.
wavelps farewell message was
printed everywhere on invasion day,
although suppressed In dispatches
70 England and America by British
and American request until late the
following week In order to protect
those members Of the command
evacuating by sea.
Thus the Dutch troops went into
battle knowing that the Allied lead
ers already considered the situation
sufficiently grave to warrant their
departure.
While fully justified In the mill
tary sense, 1t was anything but a
morsle-b&lding atmosphere in
which the Netherlands Indies de-
tense by land began. II must be
remembered that the Dutch govern
ment already had ordered both civil
and military officials to remain at
their posts until the end, and all
except those necessary for the re-
habilitation Of the navy did so.
toopyrisht, 1s42, Chicago Daily News, Inc }