Evening star., 1943-06-06


we're discussing momentous strategic
problems in Washington.
The fact that we hoisted once more
the Stars and Stripes over that rocky
island gives us deep satisfaction. But the
chief Importance of the battle lies in the
fact that the struggle to conquer it from
a handful of Japs has been an eye
opener to our British friends.
For the first time since we entered the
war the British became aware that we
have a real fight on our hands in the
Pacific. Some of the British strategists
We're compelled to admit that as far as
the military interests of this country are
concerned. the Pacific must rank at least
equal with the Atlantic
The japanese garrison on Attu did not
exceed 1000 men, and the American at
tacking forces were much larger. The
japanese had no airfields and no svia-
ton to protect them; the terrain was
very favorable for defense. But they
were so outnumbered that they could not
effectively oppose our forces which we're
pouring in under the protection of
powerful barrage from the heavy guns of
the feet.
In no way should this detract from the
able leadership and the personal devo-
ton to duty and heroism of our men,
With an overwhelming force it took us
three weeks to annihilate an enemy
much inferior in number and one who
did not have air or feet protection.
Wake Island in Reverse.
We were bringing our reinforcements
to the island "ad lib while the japanese
were getting nothing form their own
side. In many ways it was another
Wake Island in reverse
But what impressed our Allies most
was the fact that the japanese never
surrendered They had to be killed one
by one before we conquered their forti-
fed positions. In Tunisia when the odds
appeared definitely against the Axis
forces the German and the Italian gen.
erals surrendered But even before the
wholesale surrender occurred, individual
units from platoon to regiment gave up
because to continue the battle without
adequate support was considered suicidal.
Neither the Nazis nor the Fascists have
been trained to commit useless suicide.
When the battle is lost. they think about
their own skin and try to save it.
Not so the Japanese. At Guadelcanal
there were some surrenders by indi-
viduals. The only group surrenders were
from labor corps which we're not as in
doctrinated as the line forces AS far
as is known at this time, there we're not
even individual surrenders in the Battle
of Attu.
These are facts which need not be in
terpreted to mean that the japanese are
invincible They are not. But the war
they are waging against us is racial
war and they prefer death to the dis
honor of being captured by 'racially
inferior" enemy
The indoctrination of the japanese
fighting forces has been made over
long period of years. 1t is mixture of
racial fanaticiSm. greed for power and
an absolute devotion and obedience on
the part of the population to the diety
of god-EmperOr.
Know When They're Beaten.
Under these circumstances the Jap is
necessarily an enemy who must be killed
because he does not surrender The
German soldier who also has been in
doctrinated since 1888 will fight des-
perately until he is convinced of the
hopelessness of his cause. Then he will
turn against his own leaders and take
them to task for having promised some
thing they have not been able to keep.
Not so the japanese. God cannot be
wrong. The Emperor is the direct
descendant of Sun Goddess and there
fore he also cannot be wrong.
These facts are said to have been
brought out frequently during the long
discussions between the joint chiefs of
staff in Washington. And the conclu-
sion was that the Pacific theater is likely
to be a difficult one to conquer OF
course, the Allied generals and admirals
could not change the basic strategy of
the United Nations which is to defeat
Hitler first. But they became fully
aware that the Pacific cannot be dis
posed of lightly. 1t became clearer that
1llIlIOdIN pkVl AZ ltdSb dS bllllluIb
and complex as those which we shall
face against the Reich will be necessary
in the Pacific before the Japs have been
eXterminated
And for the first time in recent months
the Importance of China in the Pacific
received its due. In the past the British
took a rather superficial view about
Chnas role in the global war.
This has been illustrated particularly
In the half-heartcd manner in which
the operations against Burma have been
conducted by the British comma nder in
chief in India, Field Marshal Sir Archi-
bald Wavell.
Heavy Force Available.
For some reason or other. it appeared
to him that the campaign to open up
the Burma road was of secondary i'm
portance. Apparently he took the view
that the preservation of India should
take precedence over determined cam
paign against the Japanese, who had
much inferior force to his own in Burma.
The British forces in Burma-British
and Indian divisions-consist of we'll
over 100000 fairly we'll equipped men.
According to available reports the Japs
had about $4,000 men in the area before
the monsoon rains started.
Under the pressure from Washington
and in accordance with the decisions
taken at Casablanca the British field
marshal began an offensive against
Burma which ended in lamentable and
unidentified fiop