Evening star., 1944-03-05
War Review
Allies Gain in Baltic
and in Pacific
By H0ward p. Bailey.

u A4lEO1 VdIlt NlCIOl iCio 1OI Cllc kALlcs
and Of some confusion on the home
front because of various statements
about the progress of the war.
Early in the week, Premier Stain
Of Russia, replying to February
23d message from President Roose.
velt on the occasion of the Rec
Army's 26th birthday, declared thai
he is firmly convinced that the time
Is near when the combined efforts
OF the Allies in accordance with the
agreements reached at Moscow anC
Teheran will lead to the defeat Of
the common enemy, Hitlerite Ger
many.
Later In the week Secretary of the
Navy Knox, who previously haG
stated that 100000 tons, or hall
the prewar merchant tonnage OF
Gapan, had been sunk, told the Sen.
ate Military Affairs Committee that
the hardest fighting in history lies
ahead. Urging enactment of the
Austin -Wadsworth labor draft bill
Mr.. Knox declared that casualty
lists this long," illustrating by ex-
tending his arms to the side as fal
as possible, are now pouring in to
every State and that the invasion
Of Western Europe is still to come
The invasion plans of the Allies
are giving no comfort to the enemy
as was evidenced in a broadcast by
Gen. Kurt Dietmar, who told the
German home front last Wednes-
day that gigantic land, sea and air
forces are poised and ready to
strike. 1--WE don't underestimate
the belligerent characteristics of the
Anglo o-Americans," he said. "They
are tough and confident. However
our front line soldiers have been
through so many purgatories, the
hell the Anglo-Americans have in
store for them will be no extraordi-
nary experience"
Vandcgrift Urges Caution.
In the Pacific area 1t. Gen. VAN
degrift, leader of the successful cam
paign on Guadalcanal, warned that
caution must not be abandoned be-
cause of the recent lack of Japanese
resistance and the pessimistic state
ments which are emanating from
Toxic. He added that the Japanese
power to resist has not been broken
and that the Japs hope to create by
playing possum a golden opportunity
to destroy the American fleet by one
master stroke.
A day later high-ranking naval
authority, who stipulated that he
must not be quoted directly, de-
clared that one-third of the fleet
Japan possessed at the time of Pearl
Harbor has been sunk. Particularly
crippled is the Japanese carrier
borne air force which spearheads
naval engagements in modern war;
fare. This same naval authority
added that the strength of the
American fleet has grown to the
point that huge fleet trains capable
OF resupplying and refueling the
feet at sea can now accompany
task forces, in fact, did accompany
three of the five carrier forces which
attacked Truk, and then refueled to
60 on to Saipan and Guam.
Considerable interest and specula-
hon came at the end of the week
over the revelation of plans to give
Russia one-third of the italian feet
and the fact that some of the italian
naval units now are in action.
Probable Use Discussed.
The speculation arose over the
probable use to which Russia might
put the war craft which are to be
made available. 1t was pointed out
that they hardly could be intended
Tor use in the Baltic because the en-
frances to that sea are heavily for
titled at Skagerrak and Kattegat.
The Dardenelles stand as barrier
30 their employment in the Black
Sea unless Turkey should permit
their passage, which would be held
an unfriendly act by the Nazis, and
Turkeys ardor for the Allies seems
to have cooled bit. In fact, Brit
ain In some irritation over Turkish
hesitancy to come into the war, has
stopped shipment of all further mu-
nitions to the Turks.
The Russian peace offer to the
Films, which has British approval
and is further strengthened by the
warning issued sometime ago by
Secretary of State Hull to Finland
to withdraw from the war, has met
with rather firm opposition from
che Firms, who are angered at the
destruction of their capital, Hell
stnki, by heavy force of Russian
bombers. The present hitch in the
negotiations apparently revoles
around the Russian demand for the
disarming and interning of all Nazi
troops now in Finland and if the
Firms lack the strenth to accom-
plish this, permission for Russian
troops to enter the country and take
over that task themselves.
The likelihood that Finland will
make a separate peace is causing
additional unrest in Rumania and
Bulgaria, the former becoming in
creasingly restless as the Red armies
draw nearer the border of Bes-
sarabia.
Land in Admiralties.
On the fighting fronts, a con-
tingent of the American 5th Cavalry
riding destroyers rather than horses
made landing for the purpose OF
reconnaissance on Los Negros in the
Admiralty Islands northwest of New
Britain last Tuesday. So completely
were the Japs taken by surprise by
this bypassing of Rabaul and
Kavieng on New Ireland, that the
cavalrymen quickly expanded their
beachhead to complete capture of
the important airfield on the island
with little resistance.
Gen. Macarthur, left the bridge
OF the flagship of the task force
which he commanded and went
ashore to survey the situation. He
ordered the first units to hold their
positions which they did against
several sharp counterattacks while
reinforcements were rushed to the
scene and ashore. Now the hold on
the island is about completed, further
asolating New Britain, New Ireland
and New Guinea from the supply
base at Truk, which itself is in none