Evening star., 1943-11-08
Jap BottIeships
Challenged by HoIsey
By Maj. George FIELDING Eliot.

~ MAJ. george F1eldtng Eliot.
The Japanese attempt to reinforce
Rabaul has brought swift and deadly
reaction from Admiral Halsey's Naval
forces of the Southwest Pacific Com
mand ably supported by Gen. Kenney's
Army flyers from New Guinea.
In yesterdays article I discussed the
conveyance of various Japanese con-
voys toward Rabaul, pointing out the
possibility of duplication in the reports
The total possible strength in warships,
as reported. was IA cruisers and IA de-
stroyers. The actual strength, on the
basis OF yesterdays reports, seemed likely
to be nearer 8 or 9 cruisers and a
like number of destroyers, perhaps
rather less. Since normally there would
be, in a balanced force, three or four
times as many destroyers as cruisers,
this suggests that the Japanese de-
stroyer losses have indeed been very
heavy, as reports in recent months
would indicate.
Now comes the report of Halsey's
daring raid on Rabaul harbor, in which
nine cruisers are said to have been hit
mostly by torpedoes, one being sunk
also two destroyers were hit. This looks
as though the japanese had reached
Rabaul, only to be smashed by our
planes. But what is far more interest
ing Is the fact that the planes which
did this excellent work were torpedo
planes and dive bombers from American
aircraft carriers.
1t is long time since American car
riers have been reported in action in
the Southwest Pacific. Both the Amer
lean and the japanese navies sustained
losses in this type of ship during the
earlier actions of the war, and for some
time both sides showed a tendency to
keep their remaining carriers out of
reach of the opposing shore based air
craft. It is therefore an indication OF
the sharp swing of the balance of fight
ing power in our favor that the Ameri-
cans are the first to send carriers back
into action.
Nothing, indeed, could underline more
definitely the decline which japanese
area of operation. If we remember that
the whole Japanese system of defense
in the Pacific, the whole vast network of
island bases on which the japanese have
depended to guard the approaches to
their vital sea lanes and to the centers
of their power, Is to q large degree de-
pendent on air and naval power for its
strength, we shall begin to grasp what
it means when we see American carriers
not only going into action close to sc
important japanese base at Rabaul,
but accomplishing such magnificent re-
suits.
The truth seems to be that the Japa-
nese are being driven to more and more
desperate measures in their endeavors
to hang on to their remaining positions
in the Southwest Pacific.
These articles have repeatedly called
attention to the japanese habit of mill
tary thought which seems to make it
necessary for them to keep on irving
to reinforce positions whose military fu-
ture is already hopeless. They have
lost great part of their destroyer force
in dribletS. in a series of such fruitless
operations; now they appear to be using
up their cruisers in the same way. 1t
is process which cannot 60 on in
definitely, because the japanese supply
o. cruisers and destaUyrrs is not limitless
If We are to think of the Japanese
main battle fleet as being their ace in
the hole, we must recognize that they
cannot dare to send their battleships
into action without the support and
cover of certain number of cruisers
and destroyerS. To do so would put a
hopeless handicap on the battleships,
leaving them without a screening force,
without antisubmarine protection, with
out any of the tactical advantages of a
properly balanced fleet.
Therefore the time must come. per-
haps has already arrived, when the
japanese naval staff must decide either
TO commit their main fleet to action
to win all or lose all, or to bring their
battleshipS inside the protection of
home waters and home minefields and
let them rot there at their moorines
without further hope of taking part in
the war. They must use the battleships
while they can still form part of some
sort OF balanced feet. or they dare not
use them at all-unleSs they are truly
In suicidal mood as may be possible.
Meanwhile, We can take heart. indeed
from the prompt and vigorous reaction
OF Admiral Halsey's forces to the Japa-
nese move toward Rabaul. 1t indicates
that our naval strength in the South
west Pacific is sufficient to meet any
japanese challenge, that we are indeed
anxious for an opportunity to do so
that we are seeking action with enemy
that we are not only aggressive in spirit
but that we have the power to back ur
that spirit.
(Copyright, 1913. New York Tribune. Inc)