Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-10
Says japan May Try
New Blow to Save Face
MiIitory Critic Suggests
Sending Planes to China
As Possible Counter-Move
By Maj. George FIELDING Eliot.

Inc log OF war has cleared a little in
the Southwest Pacific. Some, at least, of
the japanese activity in the Solomons
area appears to have been intended to
cover the withdrawal of such of their
remaining force on Guadalcanal Island
as they were able to evacuate.
| To get any of them away must have
been very difficult task and the nature
| of the japanese operations-a scattered
| and apparently amless skirmishing by
| air and surface forces-may we'll have
| been dictated by the necessity for Great
ing widespread diversion in the hope OF
dlstracting attention from the evacua-
ton itself This would also explain the
reported presence of japanese landing
barges in the vicinity of the island.
The fact that the evacuation of both
Guadalcanal and the Buna arena in New
Guinea has been publicly announced In
Japan Is, however, suggestive of Japa-
nese intentions to try another offensive
elsewhere. SO considerable loss of face
will have to be Offset, and Offset quickly,
II 1t is not to have serious effect on
Japanese civilian morale What the Jap
anese may have in mind is, OF course,
impossible to foretell
There have been rumors OF a CONSOLE
dation of Japanese positions in Dutch
New Guinea (the western half of the
great island) which may possibly fore
cast an overland advance into Papua
directed at Port Moresby. The japanese
may be gathering forces at Timor and
other islands in that area for an overseas
expedition against Darwin Or they may
have in mind raid against our island
studded line OF trans-Pacific communica-
tions somewhere between Hawaii and
Australia
Whatever their purpose, they will do
their best to strike flrst-that is to
launch an offensive somewhere that will
keep us busy before We can get an
offensive Of our own under way. Our
purpose to do so Is made clearly evident
by Sec. KnoX's statement to the effect
that We are now in position to strike at
the most important Japanese bases in
the Southwest Pacific. The most impor-
tant japanese base in that part Of the
world is Rabaul, and it has been clear
from the very first that Rabaul was the
ultimate objective Of our offensive opera
tons IN the Solomons.
The Secretary's very frankness carries
with 1t hint that an about attack OH
Rabaul may not be very far away, and
the Japs' best chance OF holding 1t of
Is an offensive of their own In some
other part OF the great Pacific theater
OF war We may, therefore, very properly
ask ourselves whether our best chance of
success at Rabaul does not lie in pre-
venting the Japs from launching any
such diversionary offensive
For any such purpose, they would need
primarily strong air force; but their
air power is limited and is growing
weaker.> If We were to compel them to
switch a large part of it to some other
sector of their far-flung battle front, it
might we'll be the equivalent of a major
victory.
Our best opportunity aof doing this
appears to be in China. We have had
repeated testimony from both American
and Chinese officers with first -hand
experience. that comparatively few
planes in China would make a vast
amount Of difference both to the mill
tary and political situation in that coun-
try.
One estimate, with which this writer
sees no reason to quarrel, has 1t that
100 additional transport planes could
support an operating combat air force
In China of sufficient size to enable the
Chinese to carry out several offensive
moves which they have in mind The
Japanese would be compelled. under such
circumstances, either to send strong air
reinforcements to China-at the expense
OF the Southwest Pacif1c-or else to face
the loss of all their positions in China
south of the Yangtze River. This would
mean that Allied bombers could strike
again at the Japanese home islands,
operating this time from bases on the
Chinese coast.
Thus In this strange global war, 1t may
very we'll turn out that the best way to
take Rabaul is to send transport planes
to China. Certainly the best way to
beat the Japanese is to keep them busy
In as many different places as we can.
That strategy has worked well with the
Germans and 1t is just as good medicine
for their Oriental allies.
(copyriRht, 1943. New York Tribune Inc)