Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-05-04
BEHIND
The NEWS
-ByPauI
MaIIon

WASHINGTON, May 4-Gen.
w Macarthur fooled the Japs
p completely before moving into
Hollandia and Aitape,
They observed our ships
Steam1ng up the New Guinea
coast from Lac and Salamau,
and naturally concluded we
were 10 hit Wewak, their point
nearest 10 us. BY every trick
possible. Macarthur encouraged
that impression.
The JapS hastily assembling
most Of their force around Hol-
-landia probably two diVisions}
rushed them TO Wewak, where
upon Macarthur by-passed
them, proceeded along the coast
and took fTollandia without
much resistance.
The weakened Jap garrison
there had no inclination for a
last ditch, death-loving fight.
Frankly, they fled TO the hills.
The bulk of the Jap force
lured into Wewak will face the
kind of starvation-depletion
fighting that has come 10
characterize the whole south
Pacific war strategy, even the
iSland-hopping part of IL.
THAT mode of warfare works
Il like chess. You push fingers
swiftly out toward detectives
in the rear of the Jap frontal
positions, either dot-atolls or
mainland bases.
The Japs still hold islands
within sight of long conquered
Guadalcanal, for instance, and
several Marshall Islands east
ward Of our advanced positions
on Enlwetok and Kwajalein. SO
the laps are always in the rear
of our lines. and we of theirs.
But we have the air and sea
power. and this we use to starve
the by-paSsed Japs. The Jap
held Marshall Islands of Jaluit,
Mill, Vote, etc, as we'll as the
ones off Guadalcanal, are swept
almost daily by our air bombing.
No surface ships can easily
get in to bring them supplies.
They have no planes at these
points generally, and the only
safe avenue of supplies for them
is by submarine. Not much
ammunition or food can be
brought in that way.
Our advanced bases thereafter
are strengthened with plane
runways and suitable ship facili-
ties for the next by-passing
jump.
A LREADY our new holdings
"a at Hollandia and in the
MarshallS and on New Britain
give us an air sweep (but not
air CONTROL over a vast arc
reaching the southernmoSt Phil
ippine Islands, all the Carolines
Gncluding Truk) and even the
=hases-aGthe-A sFfanaS zap.
Saipan) which are the last
island outpoSts to be hoped
south Of the Japanese mainland.
No place in this area can be
used as a Jap Pearl Harbor not
even Truk. which we have AL
ready bombed 80 times and thus
have reduced to a secondary
outpost. Most Of the important
Jap holdings are airfelds, not
naval bases (three at Truk, for
instance).
NO GENERAL movement of
~ Nazi troops from the east
TO the Western Front 10 meet
us has yet been observed. True
enough, the battle line is only
about half as long as last year,
and the enormous Russian
claims on captured men and ma
terial is nearly everywhere con-
coded 10 be Of little benefit as
military information, although
they may be good propaganda.
But both the numbers and
equipment Of Russian troops on
the fighting front have been
constantly increasing. 1t would
be imprudent for the Germans
to withdraw any large number
of divisions and switch the en-
phasis of their fighting effort
primarily against US.
AS a matter of fact, their re-
cent reinforcements in Italy.
the Balkans, and along the
northwest coast seem 10 have
come entirely from reserves
held in Germany, Czecho-
slovakia. Austria and Poland
Some Swedish reports say Is
divisions were used in policing
occupied Russia, suggesting
these are now available against
us. Thas is no doubt what the
NaZiS want us 10 believe.
Distributed by KING Features synd, Inc
Reproduction IN whole or in part
strictly prohibited.