Evening star., 1943-04-30
1arawa Attack Hints
New U. 5. Strategy
In South Pacific
Heavy Damage Inflicted
On Flank Of Jap Chain
Of Island Fortificotions
~ the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A significant new turn in Amer
ican strategy in the South Pacific
was suggested today after belated
Navy announcement that Army
bombers had attacked and extern
sively damaged the advance Japa-
nese airbase on Tarawa Island, on
the southeast flank of the enemy's
main chain of island Notifications.
Yesterdays Navy communique
also disclosed that an American
naval force had bombarded Japa-
nese positions at Holtz Bay and
Chichagof Harbor on Attu Satur-
day, and resulted in several fires
among enemy installations.
Attu lies almost 200 miles west of
kiska Island at the tip of the Aleu-
tlans chain and is the scene of
enemy efforts to establish bomber
base supplementing the base under
construction on Kiska itself.
Army Lightning fighters carried
out one attack against Kiska install
lations Tuesday, the Navy reported,
hut the weather was bad and results
were not observed. Apparently the
condition of the weather prevented
continuation on that. day of the
series Of very heavy air raids which
have been directed against Kiska
from nearby American bases since
March l.
Heavy Damage Inflicted.
The Army bomber attack on Ia
rawa in the Gilbert Islands was de-
hvered April %. The communiuue
said that extensive damage to
enemy installations was indicated. +"
and added that although enemy
fighter planes and anti-aircraft
guns opposed the action all United
States planes returned. The only
other new action reported in the
South Pacific was the raid Wednes-
day by Liberator heavy bombers
against japanese bases at Kahili in
the Northwestern Solomon Islands
and at Villa in the Central Solomons.
The attack on Tarawa was the
latest OF series Of actions in the
South Pacific which indicate that
increasingly heavy pressure is being
put on enemy positions in that stra-
tegic area of the ocean.
The area is of great Importance
TO the Japanese because immedi-
ately to the north and northwest
are their main bases in the Marshall
and Caroline Islands. To the Amer
ican cause it is of first-rate impor-
tance because communication lines
with the Southwest Pacific move in
those waters.
Any American thrust into the
Gilberts would directly endanger the
Japanese positions in the Marshall
Islands and ultimately threaten their
bases in the Carolines while at the
same time it probably would open up
shortcut routes from Hawaii to
Australia and further strengthen
the protection afforded existing lines
Of supply.
Open to Three-way Attack.
Tarawa is susceptible of attack by
American forces from any one Of
three directions. To the southwest
ward of the Japanese base, l,040
nautical miles, is the American air
base on Guadalcanal In the Solo,
mon Islands. To the northeast,
about 600 miles, are Americas How
land and Baker Island bases, and
to the south is the new base on
Funafuti. There was no indication
in yesterdays reports a. to which
Of these bases was the starting point
Of the Tarawa attack.
The Japanese held island itself Is
an atoll formation consisting of a
chain of long narrow islets located
on q reef shaped like a right tri-
angle. The various isles are par
TALLY wooded with coconut groves
and are covered with dense under
growth.
Whether the aerial thrust in this
sector of the Pacific battle zone will
develop the sort of fighting that has
been characteristic of the campaign
IN the Solomons remained to be seen.
It was apparent, however, that the
Japanese must now actively protect
their bases in this sector or permit
them to be repeatedly and heavily
attacked at steady cost in men
and equipment.
This part of the Pacific has not
been entirely quiet in the war up to
this spring, but actions there have
been sporadic and infrequent and
have not shown evidences until the
present of long range and purposeful
action on the part of the American