The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-02-04
washington DIGEST
'Hirohito Now Strategy
Gains New Proponents
New Line of Argument Developed inqFavor of
Immediate Action Against
Japanese Empire.
By BAUKHAGE
Netrs ANALYST and Commentator

down the airplane's offensive power.
FIRST, there is the improvement of
ahti-aircraft guns and second, in
creased experience in anti-aircraft
warfare. talked to a British naval
officer who had been aboard two
conveys which fought their way to
Murmansk and three that Weathered
the fierce attacks in the Mediter-
ranean taking supplies to Malta. He
emphasized the fact that green gun
crews could not meet the onslaught
OF the dive bomber. Trained crews
could
talked with an American naval
officer who had been through Coral
sea and the battles in the Solomons.
he said that the anti-aircraft de-
tense OF our most modern Warships
was such that fighter plane defense
was hardly necessary, that time and
again II had been proved that this
new equipment could raise a wall
OF fire which rendered air attack by
the Japs futile.
Now, how does this affect the
'Hirohito now argument?
This way We cannot leave Japan
alone until We are quite ready and
theE expect to finish her off with an
overwhelming airforce. AS this is
written, in spite of the constant and
terrific bombing by Allied planes,
the JaRs have been able to complete
and operate an airbase at Buna, the
nearest Jap outpost to Guadalcanal.
And further, the Allies, in spite of
mass raids, devastating to ordinary
buildings, have not been able to de-
stroy the German submarine bases
and submarine plants.
Navy and Land Troops
We must therefore depend on our
navies and our land troops for the
final destruction Of Japan. And. it
Is argued, every day that Japan has
to increase her Notifications, every
day that she has to exploit the raw
materials of her conquered territory.
the harder it will be to beat her.
II Is further argued that Germany
cannot be absolutely beaten without
terrific losses on our side, once she
retreats within her own borders, a
tight area, and can operate on con-
solidated and shortened front.
She can be starved out. Therefore
the argument is: Continue to move
in through the rim of occupied coun-
tries until an iron blockade is formed
about the Reich, but meanwhile be-
gin an about offensive in the Far
East; first, with the capture OF
enough of Burma to get an inlet to
China, then, perhaps through the
rest Of Burma or Thailand move into
China, re-arm, reinforce her, send
IN our own troops and attack Japan
with China as a base.
II that is not done now Japan may
be able to isolate China, may be able
with silver bullets to win some of her
provinces to puppet independence
and completely paralyze that valu-
able ally and block off entrance
through her territory, SO it is argued
by the Hirohito now advocates.
War-Weary Europe
The argument presented by the
same proponents against waiting I'M
til we have finished Hitler first" is
tWo-fold: When Germany finally falls
It will leave Europe and its people,
especially its fighting manpower,
SO war-Weary that it will be hard to
interest them in a war half way
around the world We may get less
help than we need for the job.
Second. the process of reaching
into Japan island by island, is
slow process as we have found at
Guadalcanal and on New Guinea.
The northern half Of New Guinea,
a long-held Japanese stronghold. will
be harder to conquer than the part
now won back by MacArthur's men.
We know that the Japs will not sur
render. We know that in some
places, like the Netherlands Indies,
where large part of the population
is at best Indifferent, the Japs can
live off the land
Il would mean fighting every inch
Of the way against mo surrender"
troops while the main Japanese
armies were moving into China, for
Trying the gateWays to the continent.
Those are some of the arguments
we may expect to hear frequently
these days. Madame Chang Kai-
shek, when she RECEIVERS, may find
it easier to be insistent upon aid
than her husbands unsuccessful mil
itary men in Washington were.
Meanwhile the going in Tunisia is
tough and the military men are in
clined to say, zone field, well TILED,
is enough of a job for them at
present.