The people's voice., 1944-02-04


ceive no consideration for publication
CAN JAPAN WIN
Paradoxical as it may sound, on
December 7, 1941, Japan stood to win
the war of the Pacific and lost it the
same day by not invading the Hawai-
ian Islands Had she done that, her
military success would have been Sc
cure for many years but she was
caught off balance and as much aston
ished at the Pearl Harbor outcome as
was our War department. With Pearl
Harbor in her possession, our only
route to Toi5io would be by way of
Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Had
we been on guard, we should have
single plane could return to Japan
which might have saved Singapore
and the Ducth East Indies. It's not
likely we stood a chance to save the
Philippines as the more troops we
had there the worse off we would be-
when we could not supply force of
10000 with quinine, its not likely we
could supply hundred thousand with
needed war material.
There are three outstanding Pacific
naval bases: Pearl Harbor, Singapore
and Truk of which the first two cost
over a hundred million dollars apiece;
each had two weak points. Pearl
Harbor had an admirable location
with a splendid equipment and only
the serious drawbacks of Kimmel and
Short and pro-Jap population. Sing
apore was pretty much in the same
shape with a hostile native popula
ton and a shortage of fighting planes.
Japanese held Truk on the other
hand was by nature adapted for al
protected ships harbor large enough
to more than hold all of Japan's navy
and was converted at a fraction of
the formers cost into the worlds
most formidable naval base. It is
protected by perfect ring of coral
reefs with but few narrow channels
leading into the basin. 1t is sur
rounded by hundreds of miles of open
water and if properly backed with
airplanes and warships could stand
a protracted siege, in fact it. could
dominate the South Pacific ocean.
Had the Japs exploited their initial
success at Pearl Harbor, they would
possibly now be in full control of the |
whole Pacific but, in order to play
safe, they would have had to make |
peace with China.
AS it was a foregone conclusion |
that we could not hold the Philip |
pines, we might have saved Singapore |
and the Dutch East Indies by sending |
our Philippine air fleet there instead |
Of grounding them ON Clarks field to |
be all destroyed there by the Japs
the day after the Pearl Harbor loss
It's not likely we will know till after
the war why our planes were ground
ed there unless Macarthur let's the
seCI ct out.
While Japan is still holding most
Of her plu4:der, she has be II unable
to replace bis part of her ships
and planes lost while U. S. has more
! an made up its losses United
j
1t W what mistake was made IN
Lrning over the Pacific Is.l Ids 10
Tepan after the last wa: and it is
,o;ng to cost us plenty to take them
lack unless we can get Rusias help.
rrrk is but three days trav j by fast
teaming to any part of Japa $50 pos !
sessions in tl.a Pacific and to go to
hanila while tie .Faps hold Truk with
ne bulk of her fleet would 5e a most
: cfi, ult task y route by way of {
lie Aleutian Islands would be shorter
nd more vuhe, able.
After we finish off Hitler, we may
u able to disregard Truk and retake
he Philippines ana thus ca the Jap
nese lifeline; better still we might
convince Russia that it is to her in I
crest to take an active hand which f
GEMS to be the most logical solution, '
j shorten the job by years.
A. E. ANDERSON.