Evening star., 1945-03-18
Russia Expected to Join
Final Phases of Jap War
Need to Continue Full Force Against Nazis ,;kelv
To Delay Participation in Pacific Conflict
Till 'KilI Is Almost at Hand
Bp Constantine Brozgu

By Consfa,
Reliable reports are being circulated in
quarters close to the administration that
among the undisclosed tangible results
of the Big Three Conference at Yalta
was Russia's pledge to enter the war
against Japan at the appropriate mo-
ment." A definite date has, of course,
not been set The overwhelming mass
Of the Russian forces is still in Europe
fighting the Germans. The Russian
divisions which have been maintained
in Siberia are there only for defensive
purposes; that is, to prevent the Japs
from jumping across the Manchurian
border.
But as soon as the German resistance
has collapsed, suf1icient elements of the
Red Army will be transferred by rail
across the U. S. s. r. to bolster the exist
ing forces and enable them to take the
offensive against the nation which
Stain three months ago described as
an aggressor. Thus it is conceivable
that Che Russians might start opera
tions against the Japanese late in the
summer. In the event that the Ger
mans are able to resist longer than the
end OF April the Japs will not feel the
weight of the Red Army's might until
the spring of 1916. The winter on the
Manchurian-Siberian border does not
lend itself to heavy fighting.
In most Government quarters here
Russia's eventual Intervention in the
Far Eastern conflict is considered i'm
portant because it would hasten the
downfall of Japan by several months.
Regardless Of the timing of Russia's in
tervention, the present plans for an at
tack and possible landing on the JAP
anese islands and the Chinese main
land will proceed according to already
existing schedules. Military considera-
tons and transportation difficulties will
make it possible for Russia to partici-
pate only at the kill.
Want Security in Asia.
But even belated action will help con-
siderably to destroy the japanese and
avert the sacrificing of many more
American lives. This consideration was
Roosevelt and his advisers at Yalta and
prompted him to underwrite Premier
Stalin's claims in the Far East.
According to the best available in
formation, the Russian leader forcefully
presented Russias demands for the
maintenance of lasting peace" on the
ASiatic mainland. He pointed out how
the japanese attacked Russia on many
occasions, from the days of the Russo
Japanese War in 1904 to the frontier in
cidents which occurred before 1910. He
insisted that the Asiatic portion of the
Russian Empire must be protected
against any further German aggression
in Europe. The solution. according to
the Soviet Premier's views, must be in
the creation Of friendly governments"
that is to say. Soviet puppet states
on the Russian Chinese border.
On the basis Of Russia's future defense
against aggression, Premier Stain is
reliably reported to have insisted that
the Kwantung area containing the Port
Arthur and Dairen naval bases should
be incorporated into the U. S. S. R. Ko-
rea, which since 1910 has been a Jap
anese province, is to be made into a
friendly state" as also must Manchuria
and Inner Mongolia. According to exist
ing information, governments compris-
ing nationals Of all these countries have
been on Russian territory, ready to take
over as soon as the japanese have been
defeated.
Change in Rulers.
The members of the future govern
ments are, of course, either Communists
or are very friendly to the Communist
doctrine as it is intended to be applied
to Asia. The three regions which are
slated to be placed under Soviet control
have been under Japanese domination
for years. Their inhabitants are not
likely to become recalcitrant when an
other government sponsored by foreign
power is imposed on them. 1t would
mean changing masters, and the new
rulers who will be Korean or Manchu-
rian or Mongolian nationals should
prove less harsh than the japanese
This agreement, which is said to have
been definitely reached at Yalta, will
necessarily raise the question of whether
the American Government is true to its
pledges to the downtrodden peoples. It
will be recalled that the Japanese
American conflict began with the Japs'
conquest Of Manchuria. Tokyo took
Manchuria from the Chinese, who were
nominally controlling that large and rich
area of China. The then American Sec
retary of State, Henry L. Stimson, saw
In the japanese action defiance to all
previous international agreements and
alerted the League of Nations. After
long debates of the Geneva Chautau-
qua" an international commission was
sent to investigate the Chinese Japanese
dispute. The result was that the jap
anese set the precedent, which is being
so successfully followed by the Soviet
government, of establishing friendly
government in Manchuria which as
sumed the name of Manchukuo. They
placed the former Emperor of China,
Henry Pu-yi, on the throne of the newly
created state.
Under Tokyo's Orders.
Manchuria now has an Emperor, a
government and an army" but all these
move in accordance with the orders
from Tokyo executed by the Japanese
Ambassador" who is, in fact, the ruler
Of the country.
The United States together with the
bulk of the democratic governments re-
fused to recognize the Japanese-spon-
sored empire in spite Of the pressure