The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-06-24
interpreting
The War
BY klRkE L. SIMPSON
associated Press News A..

With the end of organiz aHalya
resistance on Okin5a y5lHe a eneny
against Japan in the pa ~s Va,
entering this week on G ~. is
phase but with no estimate ats t t.aa
any American or other 'S o+t l'oq
quarter as to how lona u 0'ilea
take to finish the Job. It nay
100 many imponderables ~.
volved for that. They incjud are EN- IN
items as Russia's future ~a, socA
the war in Asia and c ,Sis h
military resurgence that bs ,Ne''
terlally altered the situation ms ssl ma
sely for the foe in tba aUye'
few weeks. vie last
Cites Circumstances
General George c. Marsb.,
chief of staff, cited both cir ra
stances to the house approprjat ra,
committee recently in savinu 14 %
d iii'al victory as of any gjysn
date over Japan cannot ba gwen
stunned. He said the question ~. ny
whether Russia would enter - a. +"
war against Japan was "tha rr VIE
imponderable of the nome. '''
1mponderables aside hower,.
with Okinawa-that pivotal !.
panese island in close air striLi
distance OF both Japan and Nor,t |
ern China--secure there seor.
warrant in regarding its fall
the conclusion of preliminary pbs>
es of the battle of Japan itssp
For possession of Okinawa mAsr,
that enlightenment of Japan's HON.
island chain that separates n.
Pacific from the East China e.,
has been fatally punctured.
Substantially. the foe has BEEN
split in two, His armies at hon.
and in China have been TO all M
tents and purposed cut apart. Nov
the opportunity to apply the SANE
old military maxim mat WORKED
so well against GERMANY with ,
Russian-allied junction on the H.
be, divide and conquer, is at hand
Just how it is to be done 70.
mains to be disclosed althoug5
Marshall told the house commit.
tee that actually there was little
of military secrecy as to the gen.
eral nature of our plans for The
coming year" Air strikes of ever
increasing power would de.
vastate" japanese war-making ia.
cilities and defenses and pave the
way for INVASION he added,
OkinaWa is the key to that
strategic concept. 1t lies with
in striking distance not only of Ja
pans home war industries but Of
those in Manchuria. Announcement
in Washington during the week Of
second heavy, long range bomb.
er command to operate in the Pac-
ific theater means obviously that
both targets are to be blasted
simultaneously. The house commit
tee had authoritative word for it
also that in due course those air
strikes would see 1000 Big Super.
Fortresses a day in action.
Reckoning Okinawa as the most
important mile post other than the
Philippines yet reached beyond the
Pacific, this is the enemy situation
at that corner in the war. While
American military estimates figure
that only 10 per cent of japanese
army strength has yet been en-
countered, that 10 per cent is eS'
tinct. 1t is either dead or doomed
in by-passed traps. 1t also prooao,
ly included large percentage OF
Japanese first line combat forces
specially picked for suicide STANDS
on insular outpoSts.
Another hand-picked and power
full Japanese force is not only ca
off in Northern China. but IDLE
Due to the Russian ''imponderaole
it is not. available even agalns'
resurgent Chinese troops and NE
fast changing situation in cent9I
and eastern China well demon
strates that fact.
There seems reason 10 peleH'
also, that the same factor OF UT
certainty as to Russian intentions
is contributing Importantly 10 III,
mobilization of considerable pan
of japanese air power at TINS slf
teal iuncture in the Pacific II Is
also idle in northern China out N
bases and supply lines there ai'
vulnerable from OkinaWa.
Cut to little more than task force
strength by previous Pacific G 3p
erations. what is left Of the ID
panese fleet has confessed ll"pO
tency. 1t failed to put in any aP
pearances off Okinawa. BY 'dg l
c~s are active both southwest DIV
hint Of a'+or7p+tod challenge by {"
emv surface craft. ,,
The OkinaWa corner mas 'Ir
turned. 1t leaves in doubt only u.
duration, not the outcome Oh ''