The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-07

high promise.
 We must appraise the events of 1922 according to their relative importance; we must exercise a sense of proportion.
 First in importance in the American scene has been the in- spring proof of the great quali- ties of our fighting men.
 They have demonstrated these qualities in adversity as well as in victory. As long as our flag fIys over this capitol Americans will honor the holdiers, sailors and marines who fought our first bat- ties of this war against oyer- whelming odds-the heroes, living and dead, of Wake and Bataarl and Guadalcanal, of the Java Sea and Midway and the North At lantic conveys. Their unconquer- able spirit will live forever.
 By far the largest and most in- portant developments in the whole strategic picture of 1922 were the events on the long fronts in Rus sta: First, the irnplicabIe defense of Stalingrad; and, second, the oftenstves by the Russian armies at various points which started in the latter part of November and which still roll on with great force and effectiveness.
 Cites Major Events
 The other major events of the year were: the series of Japanese advances in the Philippines, the East Indies, Malaga and Burma. the stopping of the Japanese in the mid-Pacific, the South Pacific and the Indian Oceans; the suc- cessful defense of the Near East by the British counterattack through Egypt and Libya: the American-British occupation of North Africa. Of continuing iro- portance in the year l942 were the intending, bitterly contested battles of the convoy routes, and the gradual passing of air super- iortty from the Axis to the United Nations.
 The Axis powers knew that they must win the war in l042-or eventually lose everything. I do not need to tell you that our ene- mics did not win this war in l942. ~
 In the Pacific area, our most important victory in 1942 was the air and naval battle off Midway Island. That action is historically important because 1t secured for our use communication lines stretching thousands of miles in every direction. In placing this emphasis on the battle of Mid- way, l am unmindful of other successful actions in the Pacific. In the air and on land afioat-es- pecialy those on the Coral Sea and New Guinea and in the solo- mon Islands. But these actions were essentially defensive. They were part of the delaying strategy that characterized this phase of the war.
 During this period we indicted steady losses upon the enemy great losses of Japanese planes. naval vessels, transports and car. go ships. As early as one year ago, we set as a primary task in the war of the Pacific day-by-day and week-by-week destruction of more Japanese war material than Japanese industry could replace, Most certainly, that task has been and Is being performed by our fighting ships and planes. A large part of thsi task has been ac- complished by the gallant crews Of our American submarines who strike on the other side of the Pacific at Japanese ships-right at the very mouth of the harbo1 of Yokohama.
 We know that as each day goes by, Japanese strength in ships and planes is going down and down and American strength in ships and planes Is going up and up The eventual outcome can be plit on 2 mathematical basis: That Will become evident to the Japan- eSe people themselves when we strike at their own home islands and bomb them constantly from the air.
 In the attacks against Japan we shall be joined with the heroic people of China, whose ideals of peace are so closely akin to ouY own. Even today we are flying as much le1d-lease material into China as ever traversed the Burma road, flying it over noun tains sev. enteen thousand feet high. dyina blind through sleet and snow. we shall overcome all the formidable obstacles, and get the battle equip. Iaent into China to shatter the power of our common enemy From this war, China will realize the security, the prosperity and the dignity, which Japarl ha, sought so ruthlessly to destroy. | The period of our defensive at. ! triton in the Pacific is passing Now our aim Is to force the Jap. aneSe to fight. Last year. VI, stopped them. This year, we in. l tend to advance.
 | In the European theater of wa, | during this past year 1t was cieal l that our first task was to lesser the concentrated pressure on thu Russian front by compelling Ger many to divert part of her man | power and equipment to anothe
 theater of war.
 | After months of secret planninI
 and preparation. in the utmost de
 tai, an enormous aHnphibious ex
 petition was embarked for Frencl
 North Africa from the Unite
 States and the United Kingdor
 fin hundreds of ships. It reache
 losses. and has already produce ? an irftnorkank effect llnofl tfl