The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-01-02
JAPAN IS OPEN
TO NAVY ATTACK
Continued From Page One)

aircraft ana I,ZUU by ldIlu pdoeu
airplanes.
In incressant attrition operations
against Japanese planes and pilots,
approxim ately 1875 Niponese air
craft were shot down in aerial COM
bat and 2,675 planes destroyer on
the ground. These plane destruc-
ton totals do not include any re-
ports by Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thurs Southwest P C f i C Com
mand.
In massive lunges spearheaded
and sustained by the United States
Pacific Fleet" United Nations for
ces moved 1880 miles westward
from Tarawa to anchor their arm
ed might securely in the Marian
eS.
From here, systematic bomb
harding of Tokyo and other Japa-
nese industrial centers has begun.
The review declared from the
jungles of New Britain, the front
was pushed 1,60 0miles north and
west to the Philippines.
AS of today, the enemy's de-
fensive arc from Paramushiro in
the northern Kuriles to Manila, g.
700 miles in extent, is within eff
fective range of our fleet and
Shorebased aircraft.
s'To U. S. offensive forces in the
Marianas and the Philippines, a
constant procession of cargo ves-
sells is carrying thousands of tons
of supplies. These two points are
1888 and 6,056 miles respectively
from San Francisco.
No military operation has ever
er braced such dimensions.
The review quoted testimony of
Radio Tokyo that the Japanese had
counted on slow and painful prog
ress for American forces instead
of swift advances.
Radio Tokyo recently reminded
japanese listeners that speed is an
Outstanding trait of the Aneri-
can people and added the enemy
has come pressing upon us skip
ping three or four steps in one
jump for the step-by-step method
was not speedy enough for him."
The review said ''strategic vic
tory has been consummated" by
selling positions in st e pivotal
Philippines" l added "a string of
bases along the southern perimeter
of Japan's inner sea has been es-
tablished. From them can be
launched drives against the home
empire. At the same time Japan
is being cut off from rich military
resources in the Indies-the en-
pire she coveted, won and planned
to exploit without hinderance.
'Japan's leaders are well aware
of the strategic import of the bat
tie of the Philippines. This battle
which they know they must not
lose.
This was indicated when h e
japanese imperial fleet, long in
hiding, steamed forth in a supreme
effort TO destroy the forces cover
ing the beachheads won on Leyte.
The U. S. Navy came TO grips
with and thoroughly defeated
major force of the Japanese navy
in the three actions of Surigao
Straits, Samar and off Cape En-
gano.
These three actions constituted
the second battle of the Philippines
Sea, eliminating sea engagement
of the year which was symbolic
of the destruction wrought upon
the Japanese military machine
throughout the Pacific.'
AS the battlefront moved across
the Pacific, the review said, I'VE
have drawn after it a net of air
and surface blockade entangling,
pinning down and choking bypass
ed Japanese holdings
1T is estimated that 225, 900
enemy troops and strong enemy
bastions, such as Truk, Kavieng
and Rabaul, have been reduced to
impotence or ashes"
Stressing growing difficulties of
supply, the review cited that Naval
forces alone used 36,26O tons of
ammunition in the Marianas cap-
paign, 5000 tons at Peleliu, in the
Palaus, for air and surface bonn
bardment.
The year 1914" said the re-
view, has brought success and
added momentum to our advanc-
ing forces. But the Pacific is on
ocean of fantastic distances. The
road to Tokyo is rough and long.
The emmy has Just begun to
defend his home EMPIRE
--V-