Evening star., 1943-10-31
Russell Reports
On War Trip
Continued From Page CID

|
In Sicily one of our light cruisers broke
up tank attack by regiment of the
Hermann Goering Division just before it
was apparently about to result in dis
aster to one of our divisions which had
not had time to set up its heavy defense
| equipment In my judgment the Amer
ican people are entitled to know more
about what the Navy has been doing in
order that they may properly appreciate
the sacrifices of the men who go down
to the sea in ships.
1t is inspiring to observe that in both
the Army and the Navy morale seems
to be higher where the hazard is greatest.
This Is particularly true of the men who
man our "pigboats," or submarines. had
an opportunity to talk to the officers and
men of many of our underwater craft
who are carrying the war to the very
shores of Japan. I asked lad who was
member of the crew of a submarine in
drydock at Pearl Harbor, where huge
dent caused by a depth charge was being
ironed out, whether he would prefer
service on surface ship. His reply was,
Hell, no. It's safer down there than
up above when those airplanes come in
with their torpedoes and bombs"
Chinas Difficulties.
Due to the great Importance of China
to the Allied cause, I regretted that Our
visit there was not long enough to enable
us to have time to go more fully into the
details of the situation there. We did,
however have ample opportunity to
confer with Gems. Stilwell and Chen
nault and to visit with the generaissimo
and the leading figures of his govern
ment at Chungking
Some Of the conditions noted in China
were most disturbing. Such industries
as the country possessed were largely in
the area occupied by the japanese. The
country has been in an eXhausting war
for number of years, and they have
suffered great losses. Chinese troops are
poorly equipped, and in their present
state of affairs are confined to defensive
and guerrilla action. To apply the word
army to the forces of China is not to
use that word in the sense usually un-
derstood when referring to the armed
forces Of other leading Allied powers,
Their form of government lacks many
OF the elements of a democracy, as the
term is generally accepted in our coun-
try The generalissimo, Chang Kai-
shek. is great patriot. In him rests
Chinas last best hope of salvation as
Tree and unified democratic state. If
any one man in China can accomplish
this he will do it, He is confronted
with great difficulties the details of
which I shall not relate.
Notwithstanding all his handicaps. tie
generallsslmo refuses even to discuss
peace overtures with the Japs, and the
fact that China is still in the war as our
Ally requires the attention of IS or more
japanese divisions.
In my opinion. Gen. Chennault is
one of the most brilliant soldiers this
war has produced. With an incredibly
small number of effective airplanes, he
IS contributing greatly to keeping China
factor in the war Certainly no man
has ever done more with so little. Con-
sldering the limitations upon him. Gen.
StllWell is also rendering a great service
to his country and the Allied cause.
1t Is requiring a superhuman effort to
furnish Gen. Chennault's air forces,
but the maintenance of air bases in
China is of such importance that we
should attack the problem of supplying
him with redoubled vigor.
On account OF ner proximity to japan
and her knowledge of the japanese
people, China has the most effective in
telligence service on japanese activities
OF any of the Allied powers.
We received information from the
most reliable sources in China to the ef-
fect that we were still continuing to un-
derestlmate the strength of Japan, par
tlcularly in the field of production. We
were advised that instead of the 500
planes generally estimated here, the Japs
We're making more than a thousand
planes month, and were producing
twice as much shipping as they were
before Pearl Harbor. This may be the
answer to the amazement of our COM
mandlng officers in the South Pacific
as to where the Japs get the planes to
replace the large numbers that are shot
down so rapidly there.
Use Sacred Forest Timber.
In addition to the ocean shipping, the
japanese are manufacturing large num-
perS OF lightweight shallow draft wooden
shlps powered py Diesel engines. They
are using them for interisland transpor-
tatlOn, and in some cases ove~ consider
aole distances. Much timber is being
taken from occupied China for the pur-
pose OF constructing these ships, and we
were also told that they had even used
some OF the trees from the Emperor's
sacred forest in Japan for this construc-
ton I asked some of our submarine
commanders about this, and they con-
nrmed the reports that we had received
IN emma. These ships constitute quite
a problem to our submarines. Oftimes
submarine commanders do not feel ius-
titled in expending a long way from
nome, priceless torpedoes in sinking
such small craft. They surface. and
SINK them with gunfire. Practically all
OF these wooden ships are armed, and
we have undoubtedly sustained some
losses of submarines in these actions
One unit of the Chinese Army is fullv
trained and equipped. Our transport
planes which are flying equipment in to
zen. Chennault returned with cargoes
OF Chinese soldiers. Many thousands
OF these men who could not be armed
and equipped in China have been flown