Evening star., 1944-10-08
Allied Bonlbers Lash
Al laps From kuries
10 South Of Equator

1To South Of Equator
~ the Associated Prsss.
II As the Japanese boasted about
the air power they now have
ready for action" against the
United States, the two Amer
lean commanders in the Pacific
yesterday reported widespread
aerial strikes against enemy
island bases ranging from the
Kuriles III the fer north to-
| points south Of the Equator.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur said
Southwest Pacific bombers lashed
Celebes and the Moluccas with 1872
tons Of explosives. attacked small
shipping at zamboanga, South
western Philippines, and bombed
airdromes, docks and shipping In
waters west Of Dutch New Guinea.
H Admiral Chester w. Nimitz re-
ported three air raids in the Northen
Kuriles, during which they sank a.
cargo ship and fought on Is to 20
interceptors, probably destroying
two and damaging two. Yap Island
and the Truk Atoll also were hit.
I2,2I1 japanese Killed.
The admiral said 12,211 Japanese
soldiers have been killed in he
Palau Islands and 224 captured.
The dead on Peleliu alone totaled
1908. This might indicate the
Japanese have succeeded in landing
reinforcements there since the origi-
nal Peleliu garrison was estimated
at around 10000.
American tanks and artillery
made some progress against the
Japanese fighting from caves on
Peleliu's Bloody Nose Ridge. Ma
rine planes hit Babelthuap Island,
in the Palaus north of Peleliu.
The Japanese air power boast
came from the Tokyo radio. It said
Japanese aircraft now ready for ac-
ton 'far exceed the enemy's first
line air force" and added Japan now
is poised for dealing a sledgeham-
mer blow on the enemy" The
propaganda broadcast was heard by
FEC monitors.
japanese determination to seal of
the China coast against American
landings in that vital area was heav-
| lily underscored yesterday as the
Chinese high command reported a
second enemy landing in the Foo
chow sector.
Site for Airfields Sought.
The landing, on the south bank
of the Min River southeast of Foo
chow, apparently was designed by
the Japanese to secure for them a
zone in which airfields could be con-
structed. Planes from such fields
could blast any invasion forces ap-
preaching China in that coastal
area.
The initial japanese invasion, d.
rected against Foochow, was on Sep
tember 27.
The Chinese said brisk fighting
continued in Foochow's northwest
ern suburbs and that the invaders
to the southeast were being en-
gagged by our forces"
After claiming complete occupa-
ton OF Foochow three days ago the
Japanese changed their tune. Their
latest communique said only the
outskirts" of the city had been
completely reduced" by the morn
ing of October 4.
In Kwangsi Province heavy. fight
ing continued as a fresh Japanese
drive was halted about IL. miles west
of Hingan and IS miles north OF
Kweilin, the japanese objective. The
Japanese made some progress in the
general direction of Liuchow, stra-
tegic rail junction city south of
Kweilin.
Need for Blow at Singapore.
Meanwhile, Preston Grover, Asso-
ciated Press war correspondent, re-
porting from United States air
base in China under date of October
4, said the loss of a half dozen
American forward airdromes in East
China was forcing q recasting Of
strategy. The new strategy, he said,
eventually may call for an amphi-
bious stroke against Japanese-held
Singapore and the Malay Peninsula
by Admiral Lord Louis Mounbatten's
Southeast Asia Command. Any such
an operation, he added, must await
landing equipment and reinforce
ments from Europe.
Mr.. Grover said American flyers
may lose their last East China base
at Liuchow. But he quoted an
American general as saying "even If
We are compelled to give up Liu-.
chow the Japanese never will be
able to use their north-south line
Of communications" in China extend
ing from Manchuria to Canton.
Yank airmen continued to attack
the Japanese viciously throughout
fighting zones in China.
Ready to Shift Ships.
In England A. v. Alexander, first
lord of the admiralty, said the
Royal Navy already in the Indian
Ocean is formidable and that plans
to move warships to the Pacific
were going ahead rapidly.
In Southwest China, where Allied
forces are battling to reopen the old
Burma Road for land movement of
supplies, the Chinese reoccupied an
important hill position near Lung
ling and repulsed Japanese coun-
terattack. Lundling is Japan's most
important remaining base in the
Burma China frontier zone.
A spokesman at Allied Southeast
Asia headquarters disclosed REIN
forced japanese troops were two
miles inside India's extreme SOUTH
east border. 1t was the first ofIicially
reported japanese penetration into
Eastern Bengal. Allied patrols were
In contact with these Japanese in
very difficult" country.