Evening star., 1944-11-10
Macarthur Sees
Hard War Ahead
In Philippines
Jops' Leyte Forces
Reinforced With
$4,000 Troops
MAP on Page A-2.J
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Philippines, Nov.
10 (Via Army Radio Running
a gantlet of harassing American
planes and PIT boats, $4,000 vet
eran japanese troops have joined
the battle for Leyte, Gen. Mac
Arthur disclosed today in an
announcement which indicates
the reconquest of the Philippines
may be long and hard.
The disclosure that despite all
American efforts the japanese had
succeeded in replacing their heavy
losses suffered in % days of fighting
is having a sobering effect on the
optimism which followed the COM
paratively easy initial landing.
Gen. Macarthur set forth the sit
uation in a matter-of fact manner
1t is not viewed as pessimistic. He
has at hand more than enough
troops to handle the enemy forces
now arrayed against him, but the
general made it clear that the ter
rife advantage gained by the sur
prise landings on Leyte's east coast
has about run its course.
Japs Recover.
The Japanese have been able to
recover from the initial shock, but
with only their west coast strong
hold at Ormoc still remaining to
them. But they recovered in time
to make at least determined stand
for the remainder of Leyte.
The Macarthur communique to-
day disclosed American troops
broke . four-day stalemate in the
battle for Ormoc with substantial
gains on q Wide front" Ormoc is
in flames as the result of artillery
and aerial bombardment and its
usefulness to the enemy as a sup
ply base has been greatly reduced. /"
American planes, In the air again
after being grounded by a 100-mile-
an-hour typhoon, strafed and
bombed Japanese installations and
shipping, destroying two barges and
a coastal ship and damaging other
enemy craft.
Elements of the United States
96th Infantry Division. advancing
east into the foothills of the range
east Of Ormoc, captured enemy
strongpoints as patrols pushed deep
into the hills.
Leyte Is Valuable to Foe.
The value which the japanese
place on this rain-soaked island in
the center Of the Philippines group
Is shown further in the communique
statement that "his 35th Army is
being deployed to this front"
The Japs' first opportunity to land
reinforcements came October rs,
when every American naval and air
unit available was engaged in Grip
pling the large Japanese feet which
came out from the north and south.
There was no time to watch for jap
anese reinforcements when the en-
tire Philippine campaign was at
stake In one naval battle.
They added to their reinforce
ments-in considerable numbers
November /. They took advantage
of the fact our airfields on Leyte
had not been developed sufI1ciently
to base medium and heavy bombers
and the planes available were not
enough to stop them.
Japs Get Breaks.
A few days later they took quick
advantage Of threatening tropical
hurricane and pushed in still more
fresh troops and equipment. These
breaks probably won't occur for the
Japanese again, but they were
breaks that will multiply the price
in American lives and money which
will have to be paid to win initial
stages of the battle for the Philip
pines.
While the announcement of the re.
Inducements in such strength ap.
(See PHILIPPINES, Page A-I4.1