Evening star., 1945-04-29
Dwindling Jap Strength
Brings New Victory Hope
Destruction of Factories and Severing of Lines of
Communication to Raw Material Sources
Expected to Speed Defeat
By Constantine Brozyu

me BfOWn
1t is aximatic that no island can be
defended without an adequate navy and
air force. The japanese Navy is only a
memory. The few ships which are still
in commission may eventually be used
in a supeeme sacrifice to fight off the
invasion of the sacred soil of Japan.
But altogether they do not represent
10 per cent of the American naval
strength in the Pacific.
Plane Production Hard Hit.
The Japanese aviation is still fairly
strong 1t is being expended lavishly
in the defense of the inner circle of
Japan's defense arc and it is being
drastically whitfield down. According
to available information, the Japanese
potential of requirements has gone down
substantially as well. Production of
planes of all types was estimated in
1912 and 1943 at about 5000 a month.
The latest figure is placed at less than
1000 a month. This number is not
sufficient to cover the losses suffered
by the imperial aviation.
The commanders of our army and
naval air branches in the Pacific believe
that the time will come in the near
future when we will be able to smother
the Japanese with air bombardments
even more than we smothered the Ger
mans in the last few months Gen.
Macarthur will then be in position
to put into effect the plan for the
K. o. of Japan.
Despite the large number of men the
japanese have at their disposal the
initiative is now in our hands. The
Army earmarked to defend the Japa-
nese homeland is estimated at between
100000 and 100000 men. The fact
that they are ready to be killed to the
last man does not improve their stra-
tegic position. They displayed sim
liar spirit in the Philippines and in
the islands we have attacked more
recently. But they were not able to
stop us, although the American forces
which attacked them were superior only
at certain point chosen for attack.
AS a rule the Macarthur forces were
inferior to the Japs in a ratio of about
3 to l.
Chinese Situation Favorable.
In China the situation is considered
even more favorable for American land
ings. We can choose the. area which
we intend to occupy. 1t extends from
Canton in the south to Dairen in the
north. Having complete control of the
seas and the air, landing barges and
transports can be assembled without
fear of detection, The American divi-
slons can appear at any point on the
long coast without meeting more than
local resistance.
And by the time we have established
our beachhead and defeated the Japa-
nese security garrisons, it will be too
late for the enemy to rush any stable
number of troops to counterattack.
China does not offer the same mobility
of movement Europe offered the Ger
mans. The railways are few and in
efficient: there are practically no high
ways over which large columns Of
troops can be easily moved. And air.
dromes will be quickly established as
soon as the beachhead has been ex-
pandeG. These planes will go into
action Immediately and the chances of
the japanese being able to reinforce
the coastal defenders will be very
limited.
The fight of IL divisions against the
last stronghold of Generalissimo Chang
Kai-shek is a good illustration of the
difficulties the Japs are having in China.
The forces of the generalissimo are
meager and only few divisions are
fairly we'll equipped Yet the Japs have
not been able to dislodge them from
Running and Chungking. Last De-
cember the japanese who is command
ing the army in that area received orders
to clean up the last Chinese resistance.
He had been reinforced with excellent
divisions of the Kwantung army. The
general is known to be a flrst-class
officer He did his best. He had mo-
torized forces, some tank brigades and
about 400 planes.
At first it looked as if Chiang's forces
would be finally overrun and prepara-
tions were being made in Chungking
to evacuate the government. Tokyo
Rose. the japanese announcer who spe-
cializes in broadcasting to the American
forces, announced proudly that Gen.
Wedemeyer, who has just arrived in
Chungking will eat his Christmas din
ner-if he eats at all-in New Delhi"
Transportation Bogs Down.
But transportation difficulties and the
lack of sustained supply of material
slowed down the march of the Japa-
nese and it finally petered out before
the resistance of less than 100000 Chi
nese, who had been rushed to Running
from Burma and Yenan. They had
little air coverage and lacked antiair-
craft guns. tanks and antitank guns.
Their ammunition was also practically
rationed. The Japanese failed not so
much because of the determination of
the Chinese divisions, but principally
because of the lack of adequate COM
munications to bring requirements in
men and material to the front.
A similar situation is not likely to
happen in the American armies. Our
engineers have proved their mettle in
Burma. They have shown what they
can do in the jungle with a limited
amount of material and small number
OF engineering troops. They surprised
the Germans on the Normandy coast
when they produced 'prefabricated har-
bors." And plans for the rapid con-
struction of roads in China, where labor
is plentiful are already blueprinted for