The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-16
Keep Japanese Home

japan arrived at her power to disrupt the
peace in the Pacific step by step. Her pre-
variations for the war just ended extended
over long period of time and were imple-
mented by successive territorial acquisitions.
Both on the Asiatic mainland and among is
land groups many hundreds OF miles from
the home islar DIS the Japanese, year after
wear. absorbed raw materials for war pur-
noses built great navy, erected defenses,
trained her young men for military service
When the time came for the Marco Polo
bridge episode staged for the sole purpose OF
starting the conflict with China, Japan's arm
ed forces and industries were ready Tor the
great war long plotted in Tokyo for conquest
Of all east Asia.
There is no reason to doubt that even If
Adolf Hitler had not been engaged IN a slml-
lar build-up for Germany in the European
theater, Japan would still have proceeded with
her empire program. 1t was mere colncl-
dence that Hitler and Mussolini opened the
way for Japan to become an Axis partner. Inc
Axis served Tokyos purposes well and gave
her the incentive for the Pearl Harbor at
tack.
The war lords of Nippon well knew that the
States would be hard pressed to wage two
wars at opposite sides of the earth simultane-
ously and with their customary slyness no
less than their Indifference to what should
ultimately happen to Germany and Italy plann-
ed the Pearl Harbor strike. the attack on the
Philippines. Wake, Guam, and the invasion
of the Aleutians in the hope that the United
States, because of her close relationship with
Great Britain, would concentrate first upon
defeating Hitler.
Tokyo fully expected that before Hitler was
downed Japan would have secured her Pacific
empire and be in position to hold it against
any later attack or, if attack came, the United
States would have so exhausted her resources
she could not possibly drive the Japanese out
of their possessions.
The primary errors in Japans plotting are
obvious. She underestimate the manpower
and industrial capacity of the United States.
Most of all, she held the wrong view of Amer
lean fighting power.
She could not foresee that the United States
could do its full share in defeating the Europe
a Navy to the bottom of the sea, Air Forces
that would lay her cities waste and armies
that would fight northward from Australia to
leave her troops on New Guinea. Guadal-
canal the Philippines, and dozen powerful
outposts impotent, and with the fall Of Okina-
wa stand on the doorstep of Japan itself.
Japan is the victim of her own blind egotism.
The obvious lesson, we believe, taught by
the course of Japanese expansion prior to the
Pacific war is that the japanese must be held
to their home islands henceforth in the interest
of Far Eastern and world peace Once re-
stricted to this area, Japan could not again
become a world menace.
AS this is provided for in the Potsdam de-
claration, and as the Supreme Commander.
General Macarthur, has declared all the Pots
dam specifications will be carried out in full,
any further major Japanese wars are not to
be expected.
They are h aving trouble just now under
they deny they were beaten, but merely sur
rendered because Hirohito commanded them
to do so. When they find themselves eventual
ly unable to repeat their expansion program
and secret occupation of land beyond their
home shores, the truth may come home to
them. But to keep them at home will require
the eternal vigilance of the United Nations.