Evening star., 1942-04-08
Wainwright Takes
New Position
For Stand

N@~ W - ~ k~AA sAAANtAo y ROA WV
today that Bataan's defenders
had successfully achieved a gen.
eral withdrawal from their front
lines last night to previously
prepared defensive positions.
The withdrawal was made in an
orderly procedure, a morning COM
munique disclosed. after vastly su-
perior Japanese forces had twice
driven for gains during earlier fight
ing yesterday.
1t. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright
did not disclose the extent of the
withdrawal, and War Department
officials were unable to say where
the new defensive positions are
established.
The morning communioue indi-
Gated that the battle which has
ragged there without surcease since
Saturday is rapidly approaching a
crucial stage. Only the most meager
detail was given in the dispatches
from Gen. Wainwright, which
merely stated that the withdrawal
was made in order ito rectify the
line in Bataan, which had been
penetrated by the Japanese"
General Withdrawal.
A War Department spokesman,
however, said it was apparent that
the withdrawal was "of a general
character" and no doubt had been
carried out in an orderly manner,
for dispatches made no damaging
admissions. 1t was assumed by off,
Gals here that the Bataan fighting
was continuing, despite the lack of
information.
The japanese were believed to be
developing headlong two-week of
fenSlVe to wipe out resistance be-
fore the start of the rainy season.
There was a chance that Gen.
Wainwright might stem the Jap
anese tide, military men said. But
the invaders ere known to have
built up tremendous forces for an
annihilation campaign.
Japanese strength available for
the Luzon campaign has been eSti-
mated at one full army at least
This would be two to six infantry
divisions which, together with heavy
artillery and other troops, would
number 10000 to l35 900 officers
and men, far superior to the Defend
ing forces.
The divisions themselves would
be the attacking units. Each would
have one tank company. 5000
riflemen, $50 light machine guns. 81
heavy machine guns, 20 37-mm.
guns. 18 70-mm. guns, 36 75-mm.
guns and II l05-mm. howitzers.
Officers familiar with japanese
tactics say the normal attack would
consist of frontal, direct pressure
to hold the enemy while a column
maneuvered to strike at a flank
This is the phase of the fighting
which apparently has been develop
ing over the last four days.
Losses Reported Heavy.
Yesterdays late communique Of
the War Department described it
thus:
Superior enemy forces, supported
by tanks and artillery, continue to
attack the center of our line in
Bataan. The japanese have thrown
fresh reserves into the fighting and
have made some additional progress
Heavy losses have been sustained by
our forces and by the enemy.
Japanese dive bombers are as
sisting in the attack. dropping
bombs and machine cunning our
front-line soldiers"
The fact that one end of the
American-Filipino line is on the
China Sea and the other on Manila
Bay makes successful flanking at
tack unusually difficult. The jap
anese have tried futilely, and at
heavy cost, to turn the Bataan
f1anks with water-borne troops.
However, there is always the pos
sibility that they might eventually
drive strong column through one
of the f1anks and then attempt to
roll it up.
Any such thrust by fanking
column may, of course, meet a
counterattack by the defenders.
European armies consider such a
meeting engagement dangerous
gamble, but the Japanese seek it de-
liberately.
Assumed Superiority.
The japanese assume that their
own fighting spirit is superior to
that of any enemy They also are
willing to chance the disruption of
unified infantry and artillery action
(see PHILIPPINES, Page A-6D