The Wilmington morning star., 1944-04-07

+C say that 'iie 5 anu ''' ''ee' I'LL
which Americans are waging
IN the Pacific and in Europe
Wa bopn determined by the high
pas s,n,ard Of The American Navy
w. of the American Amy.
'', rho fundamental decisions which
40 once military secrets are no
'poer secrets. The main concen-
w. 'tion of our force against Japan
u' IN the central Pacific; the tao
.os and the weapons may be new
W. tbe basic plan of the cam
wv o;on was adopted by the Navy
manv years ago
I rbe main concentration of our
..rce against Germany is fo., an
evasion of Continental Europe: the
s;ob command Of the Army has
ala,avs insisted that the German
.rmv could be decisively defeat
- in no other way.
rhore have been alternate and
,onricting views in this country
Nd abroac as to how the war
sbouId be fought. From Pearl Har-
,or ia Teheran there have been
o,any discussions. some compro-
Misses and some deviations. But in
.he end the ng-standing orthodox
nrofessiona! views of the Navy and
tbe Army have prevailed. There
!, no longer any doubt about it.
When we see the great force which
e mder the command of Admiral
yimitz at Hawaii and the other
GREAT force which is being pre-
nared unde. General Eisenhower
II the British Isles, we have the
rroof that at the end of all the
conferences It is Admiral King and
General Marshall who have set the
American strategy.
Bearing this in mind, that the
REGULAR Army has dominated the
European war and the regular
Navy the Pacific war. many con-
troversies which have agitated
Congress and TIE people, many
events which have perplexed them,
fall into a new perspective.
There is, first OF all the contro-
versy about whether to fight Hit
LEI first or Japan first Now that
We see the great aircraft carrier
and battleship torce which has
beer constructed since Pearl Har-
Dor for our main offensive against
Japan. we know that the kind of
war the Navy decided to fight
against Japan could not have been
begun any sooner. To have Gre
ated this rev amphibious power
in two and halt years is a mira
lie: it could moi have been created
in less time Until it was created
the United States could fight only
secondary and holding campaigns
II the Pacific.
We now see that though great
deal was said about Hitler first,
this priority has held for the Brit
ish, and of course for the Rus
SANS. but not for us. Our main
offensves have, in fact. been
mounted simultaneously in both
theaters, If decision is reached
first in Europe. it will not be be.
cause We gave the European war
priority It Hill be because we have
two powerful allies in the Euro.
rean theater, ard the enemy car
be attacked from two fronts
whereas in the Pacific theater oul
only great ally, China, is unable
10 take the offensive and for the
tme being though not forever, the
enemy is not attacked from al
sides.
The controversy about the sup
port Of General Macarthur is by
many supposed to turn on whether
he should have received reinforce
rnentS that have been assigned tt
the European theater. But in fac
me real controversy, on which
strong men have differed, has no
been whether to put more force
oehlnd General Macarthur or Gen
efal Eisenhower 1t has beer
Whether the war against japan
was to be directed by the Nav.
IN accordance with it's long estab
IShed plan for a central Pacifi
offensive to the Philippines ant
Chlna Or whether the main effor
against Japan could and should be
made by General Macarthur from
australia upward toward the Phil
IpplneS and to China. In this argu
!lent the Navy has prevailed. l
mas prevailed in the sense tina
General MacArtnur's campaign
ana Admiral Mountbatten's a
Vell have been fitted into tn
DOMINATING strategy of the Navy
Much perplexity, and lot Q
instructed political agitation
would disappear if this were clear
y understood by the nation.
When we know that the hie1
command OF the army has nev {
S"efVed from its conviction tina
ule German Army must be defeat
eo on the Continent of Europe
many things become clearer. Thu
me high command has never be
neVed that Germany could b
bombed to defeat: this is the req
sun why, though it has created a