Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-04-22

ping up" operations now expected in
Europe. There is another school OF
thought, representing as influential a
group as the first, which holds that the
Japs, in the words of Gen. Joseph w.
Stilwell, who probably knows about as
much about fighting the Japs as any
one else, must be beaten on the Asiatic
mainland before we can say we have
won the war.
The Asiatic Mainland
Disciples of this latter school point
out that the Kwangtung Army group,
which controls the destiny of Japan
today, has made Manchuria its strong
hold, and in the event of eventual
capture of all the japanese islands In
the face of resistance as bitter as
any we have faced heretofore, the
Emperor would be flown to Manchukuo,
much as Churchill might have flown to
Canada had Hitler overrun Britain in
1910, and the battle would be continued
on the Asiatic mainland with view to
winning a negotiated peace under threat
of protracted war. AS to the character
of the resistance to be expected, they
point out that while more than
100000 German prisoners have been
taken in Europe since D day, less
than 1000 Japs have been captured.
On the Asiatic mainland, they. con-
tend, Japan would have much more
space in China to trade for time than
the Russians did in Eastern Europe, and
that retreat would be not away from
but toward their strongest industrial
area, Manchuria, where they could be
expected to hold out the longest, behind
defenses they have had nearly Is years
to prepare.
Equipping China
In this extensive operation we could
count on two potential Allies, China,
and since her recent action in renounc-
ing her nonaggression pact with Japan,
the Soviet Union. AS for China the aid
to be expected must be limited by cir
cumstances. The fighting qualities of
the individual Chinese soldier, properly
fed, trained, armed and led, leave MOTH
ing to be desired. But assuming the
utmost in cooperation from the higher
operation not yet realized, it should be
said, the feeding, training, arming and
leading of large Chinese Army is now
only something to hope for. The Chi
nese soldier, for example, cannot dig a
foxhole because he is not equipped
with an intrenching tool.
Only since the visit of Donald Nell
has any serious attempt been made to
remedy the deficiency BY straining
the meager steel production resources
of the nation this simple fundamental
military need probably can be supplied
Requirements for equipment such as
artillery, tanks and the infinite variety
of supplies essential for warfare today
are out of the. question until some large
port like Rangoon or Hong Kong are
available for seaborne shipments. Only
when such a port is available and the
full coordination of Chinese higher
command is accomplished can an ef-
fective Chinese fighting force be
modified to aid us in the land battle
against the japanese on the Asiatic
mainland.
Siberian Forces
The Russian potential, of course, is
much greater and might very we'll prove
decisive, or at least sufficient to avoic
a land campaign lasting years. Up to
the time of the German attack in June
1941, the Siberian forces were consid.
cred adequate protection against tn,
large Kwantung army maintained II
Manchukuo, admittedly the finest Japar