Evening star., 1945-08-25
Spruance Questions
Political Wisdom Of
Retaining 0kinawa
~ the Associated Press.

~ the ASSOclateQ fress.
ABOARD ADMIRAL SPRU-
ANCE'S FLAGSHIP, Manila Bay.
Aug. 25.-Questioning the political
wisdom of American retention of
strategically valuable Okinawa, Ad-
miral Raymond A. Spruance, 5th
Fleet commander, told his second
press conference of the war today
that:
1T would be sore point with us
if foreign power held string of
islands blockading our coast" as the
Ryukyus Including Okinawa) do
Japan's coast. I'm political terms,
we want to do everything we can
to leave no sore spots in interna-
tional relations.
He termed Okinawa extremely
valuable strategically but "poten-
TALLY explosive" internationally.
The decision on whether to retain
it, he pointed out, will be up to the
diplomats.
Present Bases Cited.
Even without the Ryukyus, he
added, America now controls a vast
arc of Pacific bases stretching
through Japan's former island man.
dates-and additional bases, al
though important, are not vital.
Two Jima, he said, is extremely
important strategically as are Phil
lppines bases; but bases on the
Asiatic continent "are not neces-
sary'' and also might be dangerous
politically to retain.
The admiral, whose 5th Fleet will
control waters of Southwestern
Japan and KoreaS eastern coasts,
said the Americans will make sure
that Japan is in no position to
start a rampage again, but we won't
do anything to prevent friendly re-
lations in the future"
I'VE must educate the japanese
out of the ways they followed-ways
which started this war" he con-
cluded
Japs Put Up Big Fight.
1t would have been impossible for
the Americans to take Okinawa if
the Japanese feet had still pos
sessed its once-formidable forces,
Admiral Spruance added.
In recounting the history of Navy
spearheaded offensives that pushed
across the Pacific in 1914 and 1945,
Admiral Spruance declined to COM
ment on japanese mistakes,
Il think the Japanese put up a
hell of a fight, considering what
they started with, although I might
have done some things differently"
he explained.
Admiral Spruance refused to
speculate on the future disposition
of Okinawa, where, he added dryly,
the Navy really took it on the chin
from those suicide planes"
Forces utilizing Okinawa, he add
ed, could control the East China
Sea, and other units in the Philip
pines could control communications
with the China coastal areas. For
mosa, he said, lacks 'harbors and
militarily would be important only
as an airbase.
Present Navy Too Costly.
The American Navy cannot be
maintained at it's present size after
the war, the admiral said, because
1t would be too expensive and re-
quire too many men. However, ma.
val power is always relative" he
commented. There are now no
navies left except the American and
the British, and there is no prospect
OF war between us. So we should
be able to maintain a sufficiently
large Navy to protect us, with the
Americans controlling the Pacific
and the British the Atlantic"
Some of the ships of the powerful
American feet may be laid up and
others scrapped in peacetime, he
said. Some may be sold, particularly
ships OF Americas now. vast am
phibious forces.
| Admiral Spruance paid tribute to
British fleet units which have oper-
ated under his command In the Pa
ciflc. They did a very fine lob.
| Everything went smoothly"