The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-21
Interpreting
The War
BY HAROLD STREETER
Associated Press War Writer

ASSOCldtcu fTcSS WAR WIItCA
This war with Japan still may
be playing second fiddle to the one
in Europe - but it's beginning to
sound like big bass viol.
AS recently as last November.
prior to the invasion of the Gilbert
islands, you inevitably associated
the Pacific war with Gen. Douglas
Macarthur. That is because every
thing was happening down his
way.
A map of New Guinea, New -
Britain, New Ireland and the Solo,
mons was all you needed to follow ~
the course of events.
Today the Pacific war has
spread over such vast area and
encompassed such swift series
of events that pecilled maps look
like the cardiograph chart of
badly scared man.
Fleets, planes and invasion for
ces, striking at geographical tong
ue-twisters separated by hundreds
and thousands of miles are mixing
pOWc1 Will oUl VI 1oC III q Woy tAAoe
has you dizzy. 1t also has the Japs
dizzy.
cit is hard to ascertain with
what design the enemy began the
operation" said a bewildered To-
kyo broadcaster in trying to ex-
tplain to his homeland the Ameri-
can Thunderbolt stroke against
Truk.
For an overall and orderly view
of the Pacific picture, the better to
appreciate the drive and magni-
tude, let's dip back week ago to-
day and move forward.
Monday, Feb. IA, East Longitude
Chats the time east of the inter-
national dateline always in use in
the Macarthur theater), scores Of
Avengers, Dauntlesses, Liberators
and Mitchells tore at Rabaul with
200 tons of bombs. Monday. Feb.
IA, West Longitude Chats our
time and the one always used in
communicates of Adm. Chester w.
Nimitz), American warships based
at newlywon Kwajalein began
Smelling enemy bases in the east
ern Marshalls, 1,40O miles north
east of Rabaul. :.
Tuesday, Rabaul was hit again
by Solomons planes; MacArthur's
planes, raiding 100 miles northwest
- of Rabaul, set the town of Kavieng
aflame; other planes northwest of
- in "a -,oilcf nf ~ nivs
IL job of sinking Is ships; American
ia and New Zealand amphibious for
a ces, in surprise move 120 miles
e. east of Rabaul, landed on the
Green islands to straddle the sup
ch ply lines for $4,000 Japanese trap
al ped in the Solomons; huge fleet
IS of battleships, cruisers, aircraft
ou carriers and destroyers was NOV
lie ing against Truk, 1893 miles north
OF of Rabaul; and, $50 miles north
east of Truk, warships and planes
or were preparj~ 3 the way for inva-
sion of Eniwetok in the western
nc Marshalls
a. Wednesday the first attack of the
~. -. war was commenced by hundreds
-, of carrier planes on Truk, J.apans
mightiest Pacific naval base;
be more than 1000 miles to the east
IT of Truk, Dauntlesses, Liberators
re and Warhawks pounded the east
a ern Marshalls; Rabaul was hit
it. again; the convoy northwest Of
it, New Ireland was polished off by
:" Mitchells.
Thursday Eniwetok was invaded
under the guns of battleships (bat-
tleships so plentiful that some
could be used for that while others
bulwarked the Truk operation);
400 miles east of Truk, Army Lib
orators blastef' Ponape; 800 miles
southeast of Ponape, Army Liber-
ee ators pounded Kusaie; far down
lid at Rabaul, $50 planes swooped on
2 Japanese ships in Simpson harbor,
mr. hit IL, sank five.
ITS Friday, just about the biggest
job at Eniwetok, the capture of
ur Engezi air base, was concluded
lid by the Marines; in the eastern
Marshalls, those warships which
20 began pumping shells week ago
~ today did it some more; down in
dc the Southwest Pacific, destroyers
% accomplished what once would
nd have amounted to sticking ones
1 head in the lions mouth - she'll
ed Rabaul and pot away without
nd a scratch; other destroyers shell
or ed Kavieng.
,e- All this happened within less
or than a week. To get a clear idea
8 of the transportation and supply
MS problems overcome consider these
re distances from the western shores
ky of the United States: to the Mar
cd shalls roughly 1890 miles; to Truk
w. $500 miles: and to Rabaul, over
al 5000 miles.
Pardon me while I slip out and
ms get a paper can't wait to see
tn where they hit EN- next.
err -V