Evening star., 1942-09-02
Japanese Believed
Massing Forces
10 Attack Russia
MAJ. Eliot Sees Resignation
ot Togo, Detects in China
As indicating Move
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING;
ELIOT.

ELiOI.
Inc military situation in China is
one OF the brightest spots in the war
eieuatlon from the United Nations
point OF view. It Is bright because
the Chinese are making very definite
ana valuable gains; it is bright be-
cause OF the renewed demonstration.
II such were needed, of Chinese
spirit and fighting qualities and it is
nrlght because of its implications as
TO the real and fundamental weak
ness OF the widely overextended Jap
anese military position.
Like the central character in an
anecdote made famous by one of our
own elder statesmen, Japan is very
clearly unable to pull it's shirt down
In front without pulling it up be-
hind.
1t is probable that the Japanese
timetable for this year is badly out
OF gear. japanese operations in
Chekiang and Kiangsi Provinces
were certainly undertaken for the
purpose OF winning full possession
OF the railway linking Hangchow
with Nanchang, and eliminating
Chinese control of the great air
bases in Eastern Chekiang.
The Japanese did succeed in TAX
Ing the air bases and the whole of
the railway, but they could not re-
tain these acquisitions. The Chinese
have retaken the greater part Of the
railway line, they have recaptured
the two principal air bases and at
this moment they are battering at
the gates of both Nanchang and
Kinhwa. He would have been an
optimist indeed who, even a month
ago, would have prophesied such
sweeping Chinese successes.
U. S. Air Aid a Factor.
They are attributable apparently
to three principal causes: Cd The
military prowess of the Chinese
themselves: (2) the fact that for
the first time the Chinese have the
direct and immediate support of an
active American Air Force, and CD
japanese necessities elsewhere
which have compelled the japanese
to give up their gain and to suffer
what to them must be grievous
loss of face" as well.
In New Guinea we have just had
another indication that at the pc
riphery of her area of conquest
Japan is not so strong as she might
be. The Japanese were evidently
very desirous of making good their
hold at Milne Bay in Eastern New
Guinea, but they have been disaS-
trously defeated by well-laid Aus
tralian ambush, and it seems clear
that Milne Bay is going to be a
United Nations base for offensive
operation directed against Bougain
vile in the Solomons and the Jap
anese posts on the northeastern
coast of New Guinea. The prin-
cipal Japanese base in the latter
area, Lac, has just been heavily
bombed by American aircraft with
cut japanese fighter opposition.
Skirmishes are said to be taking
place in the vicinity of Salamaua
and Kokoda. There is the distinct
possibility that the whole japanese
position in New Guinea may be en-
odllSClCd, dllQ IL DCSh1S w lOoh dS IL
the Japanese in that part of the
world have been told to do the best
they can with their Immediately
available resources and not to ex-
pect reinforcements from home.
This, of course, is by no means a
certainty, but there Is much evl-
dence pointing in that direction.
Russia Likeliest Target.
Such a situation in New Guinea,
plus the Japanese withdrawal in
China, would in turn suggest very
strongly that the Japanese are con-
centrating for a great effort in some
other theater of operations and are
making considerable sacrifices to in
sure having adequate forces avail
able for the new enterprise. 1t is
difficult to see how this new cam
paign can be anything except an at
tack by Japan on the Far Eastern
provinces of the Soviet Union. The
resignation of Foreign Minister
Shigenori Togo, long an advocate of
warmer relations between Russia
and Japan, is only the latest OF
many straws showing wind blow
ing in that direction.
1t is possible that the japanese
have been waiting for the fall of
Stalingrad or some other definite
indication of German success in the
west before committing themselves
but Judging from the scale of their
present ~ (ations in Manchuria
Korea 4 Inner Mongolia, and
keeping hind the calendar and
If=- ----
Hit -