Evening star., 1945-07-19
Okumuru Broadcast
Reveals Tokyo's S Plight
Writer Sees Things Happening
Behind the Scenes in Japan
By David Laurence

By David Lacrence
Something undoubtedly is happenin,
behind the scenes in the Japanese gov
ernment which occasions such an ex.
traordinary statement as that broad.
cast by the Tokyo radio concerning
Gen. Okamuras refusal to Withdraw
japanese troops from China to heli
the homeland
The very fact that this subject II
being discussed at this time leads tt
the belief here that the age-old fric.
ton between the army and navy IL
Japan may be responsible for the dec.
laration by Okamura. The general il
right when he says that it would take
two years to withdraw the japanese
troops from China, but this is because
the amount of shipping now available
Is so small that the 100000 or more
troops couldn't possibly get back to
Japan in long, long time to help in
the homeland defense, even If the ships
were not harassed by our submarines
and airplanes.
1t was estimated by competent au-
thorities here several months ago that
the Japanese Army could not get back
to Japan In less than six months even
if it had all the shipping needed. This
was before the revival of Chinese and
American military strength since We
day.
For many months it has been an
integral part of the American war plan
to capture bases from which the United
States forces could dominate by air
and sea the approaches to the China
coast. Our submarines have been 60
ing close to the coast of Japan and
China The blockade of China has
been growing tighter every week.
Reply to Critics Is Seen,
The Tokyo radio says that Okamura
raised the question himself, but un-
doubtedly he did SO, as supreme COM
mander of all japanese expeditionary
forces in China, because of some criti-
cism that had been leveled against
the Japanese Army plan. Apparently
the critics are saying now what has
been reported from time to time before
namely, that the japanese war lords
overextended themselves in China and
did not effect withdrawal of troops
so that the homeland could be defended.
The strategy Of the Chinese and Amer
ican generals on the other hand, has
been such in recent months as to in
terrupt communications and make diff
flcult any kind of a retreat, even to-
ward North China.
The new gains by the Chinese Army,
however, are not sporadic They are
part Of well-organized plan by which
the United States Army gave the Chi
nese equipment and supplies and train
ing so as to break up the japanese
concentrations in China.
There is reason to believe that num-
ber of these Chinese divisions, newly
trained and equipped. have been operat-
ing as mobile forces which can move
from area to area behind the japanese
line Of communications and make con-
siderable trouble for the japanese troops.
It is conceded, however, that the Japa-
neSe commanders will try to move
northward to join the forces n Man
churia so as to protect Japanese inter-
ests against Russian entry into the
war. .-
Domestic Appeasementt
The Tokyo radio also may besa cover
up to appease domestic opinian. which
would normally demand that the troops
in China be brought home IL help in
the defense. There has always been a
faction in Japan which believed that
peace could be made with China. Indeed,
the rumors are that directly and indi-
rectly the Japanese have been making
peace offers to the Chinese during the
last year in the hope of releasing the
troops for use against the United States.
GeneraliSsimo Chang Kai-shek, of
course, will not listen to any separate
peace talk but it is conceivable that if
Japan wants to surrender she will try
to reach some understanding first with
China. su
The Okamura statement could be a
preliminary step toward the Justification
of a Chinese-Japanese understanding.
The argument might well be used that,
since the Japanese troops cannot go
back home on account of the blockade
it is inevitable that an agreement should
be reached with China. rs
ut is better to stay here" is the con-
cluding remark of Gen. Okamura
Whether that comment is or is not
related to some peace move, the tact is
almost everybody here agrees that in a
military sense it is right. The Japanese
Army is marooned in China while the
homeland is being bombarded by the
heaviest attacks from air and sea argl
nation has suffered in modern times
Naturally the.Japanese people want help
in their defense but they cannot get it
from their troops in China The Japa-
nese Army is credited with having started
the adventure into war with China. The
japanese Navy may well have opposed
the move and now may be pointing the
finger of criticism toward those who
imperiled Japan's position All in all,
the Okamura broadcast is revealing of
the plight of the Tokyo government,
which does not hesitate to use the radio
to argue its own critical position.
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