Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1945-02-09
War VIGOROUSLY Make Peace PERMANENTLY Bring Our Boys Home PROMPTLY
THE WORLD
IN REVIEW

By Mai Oen(
D, P. Barrows
TIVE war news of the last
week had its climax IN Gen.
MacArthur'S communique that
his troops had entered the city
of Manila.
In a campaign of Is days. fol-
lowing the landing in Llngayen
Gulf, the principal city and cap
ital of the archipelago was re-
gained
1t was the elimination OF
brilliant strategy and hard
fighting. which began % months
ago, $500 miles away. on the
southern end of New Guinea
Great as this military achieve
ment is. i does not mean that
the Philippines are yet llber-
ated
Much the greater part OF the
archipelago is still in the pos
session of Japanese soldiers
who. though isolated, and be-
cause they have no longer OPP
portunities tor fight, may be
expected 10 put up desperate
resistance until they are prac-
tlcally eNtcrmlnated.
IN THt southern island OF
" Mindanao. 10 which the
Japanese command despatched
FeinforcementS in October. be-
lieving that Macarthur would
make his first landing there, the
enemy must have large forces
around the Gulf OF Davao.
In the middle group Of i'm.
portant islands known as the
RlSayaS- our sFmy-heids only
Lcyte and The western coast ot
Samar
Ccbu, with It's important city
where the SpaniardS made their
first settlement in 1865; Panay.
with It's important port OF
lloilo. ami the large islands 81
NcgroS and Bohol are still un-
occupied by the American army.
There are other important
groups Of islands between
Llzon and MindaBsH where
knowledge Of the enemy's Situ-
alton * obScured by the clouds
of war.
Some OF these islands may
never nave been occupied by the
Japanese army On others they
may have attachments. now
isolated but likely lo fight "a
long as they live
II seems possible that Mac
Arthur will leave those mop
ping up operations. which may
be many and protracted, 10 The
FllIplnos themselves
Aided tn organization tCFt-
crship. armament and supply.
and by officers and men de-
tachcd from the American
armies. Filipino CucrillaS are
superior 10 the japanese for
fighting IN hills forest and
Jungle
They can accomplish this task
though II may BE- neither easy
nor short
COUTTIERN LuIon Likewise s
y believed 30 haVe-a consider
able force of the japanese army.
Gen Echelberger'S landing al
NaNugbu. and his advance INTO
t1Ie hin country Of CaNite viii
carry our occupation 10 Lake
Bay and cut off this force 81
the enemy
Conceivably by the use ~
submarines the japanese could
send SucCor 10 these troops.
making landings on the Pacificx
Ocean side
But It Is unlikely that any
thing like rcinforcemcntS could
escape the vigilance OF our fleet.
With the capture Of Manila
there remains the problem Of
the great Notifications on Corr
rcgidor and adjacent islands
The Rock controls the en-
trance 10 Manila Bay as long
as n can be held
While IN American hands, II
wl'hStoOd japanese bombing and
fire OF heavy guns. with very
minor loss 10 It's personnel.
II was finally taken by lnfan-
try. landing by boats from the
province of Bataan. and only by
fighting that cost the lives Of
half of the attacking force. The
reCapture of Corregidor -
necessary TO the revival and use
of the city of Manila and 10 IT'S
relief from the destruction in
which the japanese have left II.
Cen Macarthur undoubtedly
has plan for It's recapture, but
n is idle TO speculate as TO what
this plan is.
TIERE remains the problem
OF destroying the probably
large Japanese forces which.
with Gen Yamashita and his
headquarters. have established
themselves in the mountains OF
northern LuZon.
There are two long cordilleras
here which, for distance of 200
miles, are separated by the