Evening star., 1943-07-11
Hopes Of Early End to War
Held Unwarranted at Present
By Constantine Bropn.

On July 4 two prominent Americans
gave out their views on the Japanese
situation. Secretary of the Navy Knox.
speaking in Seattle, bombastically as
sured his listeners that the United States
Fleet would sail into Toxic Harbor "and
then the tyrants of the TOTO type will
learn their aggression has been done
away with on this globe"
The same day the former Ambassador
to Toxic, Joseph Grew, who knows ia
pan more intimately than any man in
the United States, spoke in New Bed
ford, Mass. In his quiet and simple way
Mr.. Grew asserted that those who still
say when we are through with Hitler
we'll mop up the Japs seem to have no
conception of the magnitude of the task
we face. Even after we have put Toxic
and the Japanese government out of
action by bombing or invasion Of the
homeland, the japanese will continue to
offer fierce resistance throughout their
conquered territory"
Those who have read or heard these
speeches are necessarily confused. Both
men have eminent positions in the Gov
ernment.
Mr.. Knox as Secretary of the Navy
should have on hand important intorma-
ton not available to the average Amerl-
can. It is assumed that when he de-
livers speech about future military
operations he must draw handsomely on
the wealth of information his admirals
and technical advisers have on hand.
On the other hand Mr.. Grew has lived
In Japan for 10 years and was no tea
and cocktail party" ambassador. He
has learned to know the japanese and
their power AS few men in this country
have had an opportunity to know.
While there may be nonmilitary rea-
sons for Mr.. Knox to make pep talk
there can be no reason why Mr., Grew
should adopt an overpessimistic note.
Holds Road Is Hard.
Speeches Of the type Mr.. Knox is
making are to certain degree RESPONSE
bic for the waves of optimism which pre-
vail in this country and the inevitable
pessimism which follow delay in accom-
plishing these sanguine predictions of
things to come.
Most of the military men in Washing
ton who are not urged to make sensa-
tional declarations for public consump-
ton continue to take very realistic at
titude toward the war. Whenever they
feel that they can talk in private with
out quotes and headlines, they say that
we are lust beginning to fight and the
road ahead is tortuous and hard
For the time being our forces in the
Pacific and across the Atlantic are en-
gaged in operations which in military
language are described as offensive
defensive. This is the last stage leading
to pure offensives,
But while this strategy is encouraging
there must be full realization in this
country that we are still quite distance
from an all-out offensive on both global
fronts.
The operations undertaken under the
personal leadership of Gen Macarthur
In the Pacific have been successful. In
other wars similar operations would have
been described as skirmishes for the oc-
cupation of strategic points. All that
Gen. Macarthur hopes to achieve in the
immediate future is to capture Islands
weakly held by the japanese, where he
will install strong ground and air forces.
Once this has been accomplished he
will prepare himself to attack Rabaul,
the main japanese naval and air base
In that area But in order to do so he
must obtain further strong reinforce
ments of men, planes and transports.
Will Want Victory Certain.
A commander of the Macarthur type
will not dare to attack a japanese base
held, according to all available reports,
by between $4,000 and 10000 Japs, unless
he has sufficient forces-at least 3-to-l
superiority-to make his victory certain.
No commanding officer who has had
experience with the japanese would risk
an operation against an enemy of the
Nipponese type with ground forces in
ferior to those who have the advantage
of defending themselves behind we'll
fortified positions.
But even if sufficient forces are placed
ct Gen. MacArthur's disposal and we
conquer Rabaul all we will have accom-
plished is to make absolutely secure the
lines of communication between the west
coast and Australia.
We shall be no closer to the outer de-
fenses of the japanese than we are now.
1t has been repeatedly stated that the
Japs have fortified and continue to fortlfy
their main Pacific islands to point when
they can be considered impregnable by
an average force.
The japanese islands proper are sur
rounded by an arc of islands which until
1941 were in the hands Of the Allies but
unfortunately have fallen into the Japs'
hands.
In these outposts they can resist any
thing but an all-out attack from the en-
tire American air, ground and naval
force. They have a tremendous quantity
Of essential raw materials in these richest
islands CT the world and native popula-
ton which is far from being antagonistic
to them
This does not apply to the natives OF
the islands which have been under
Australian rule, but only to those farther
west which have been under the British
and Netherlands control.
Have Naval Superiority.
We have a satisfactory naval superb
Gritty at this time in the Pacific prln-
cipaliy because the japanese fleet is only