Evening star., 1945-06-02
.1ruman's S Blueprint
For Crushing Japan
Cites Major Problems

The American people today
had from President Truman an
accounting "of some of the prob
lens, difficulties and dangers"
the Nation faces in waging
victorious war against Japan.
In message sent to Congress
yesterday afternoon, the President
reviewed plans to maintain an army
of 100000 from which a fighting
force of more than $500 900 will be
drawn--a force larger than that
which united with our Allies to
crush the Wehrmacht and the
Luftwaffe."
This will be exclusive of Allied
help.
AS for the japanese, Mr. Truman
said they have more than 1000 900
troops under arms-a force larger
than the Germans were ever able to
put against us on the western front.
To back up this army, they have
several million additional men of
military age who have not yet been
called to the colors."
Haven't Met Full Jap Might.
I'VE have not yet come up against
the main strength of the Japanese
military force" the President
warned. ''T'he japanese Army is or
ganized into 100 combat divisions.
Its air force, despite the heavy losses
it has suffered, still comprises over
5000 combat planes. We are cutting
heavily into japanese production
through our Super Fortress raids,
but Japan remains capable of pro-
ducing planes at the rate of ! $50 to
1900 month"
The President stressed two points
for the home front to keep in mind
the need of powerful surge of war
production, to give the men in the
field the weapons they need, and a
public awareness of the growing
ferocity of the war, now that Japan S
home area has been preached.
To date. he said, the Japanese
Navy has been reduced to fraction
of its old self The enemy feet has
been driven into hiding and naval
aircraft back to shore bases. The
merchant marine Is beaten down to
a quarter of its prewar size.
Shipyards Need Help.
notwithstanding this situation,
Japanese suicide attacks are making
themselves felt, the President
acknowledged. Shipyards are badly
in need of civilian workers to repair
the ship damages which are mount
ing
The feet suffers daily damage, "
Mr.. Truman said. To tell the num-
Der would give Information to the
enemy, but the number is sub
stantial"
John p Frey, AFL Metal
Trades Council president, COM
mented earlier that the West
Coast ship repair yard labor
shortage could be overcome i'm
mediately If the NAVY lived up
to its agreements. He referred
to l94l agreement granting men
in repair yards ll.6 per cent more
pay than those on new construc-
tionD
Mr.. Truman told of the plans to
discharge 1000 900 men, leaving an
Army force of 1000 900, and urged
civilians not to tax transportation
facilities which will have enough of
a task to handle furloughed soldiers.
Cites Cutbacks.
Production Of some items of war
has been cut back sharply, the Pres
ident said, but for the remainder of
this year it will continue at an an
nual rate of s54 900 900 900, which is
almost equal that of l943 and more
than nine-tenths of the 1941 rate.
He charted this policy for the de-
feat of Japan:
Pinning down the Jap forces
where they are now. for piecemeal
destruction.
Concentrating overwhelming pow
er on each segment
Mass concentration of weapons
to gain victory at the smallest pos
sible loss of American lives.
Relentless pressure so that the
enemy never gets a chance to rest
and regroup.
He called the continued resist
ance of the Japanese a. hopeless.
fanatical venture, and repeated that
we have no desire to destroy or
enslave the japanese people"
But only surrender can prevent
the kind of ruin which they have
seen come to Germany as a result
of continued, useless resistance, y
he said