Evening star., 1946-05-26

ong thoSe 0e1ng Lett beh1nd.
-AP Photo
no American Army combat units in
this country. The Marines, however,
still have air and ground units in
North China.
The Army estimates that 5000 SOL
diers remain in China.
Everything the Army owned in West
China was sold to the Chinese some
months ago for $67,0O0,00O about so
per cent of its estimated value.
KOREA:
American forces landed in Korea Sep
tember 8, 1945, with three divisions and
now occupy the island south of the
3Sth parallel with two divisions, the
40th Division having been inactivated
and sent home. The exact number of
United States troops now in Korea has
not been disclosed.
The troops will remain until Korean
government is set up in accordance
with the terms drafted at the Three
Power Moscow Conference.
JAPAN AND THE PACIFIC:
United States Army strength in the
Pacific last October totaled 100000
men. Today, says Brig. Gen. M. J.
Gunner, Gen. MacArthur's chief of staff
in charge of personnel, there are 1913, 900
men scattered throughout the area, in
cluding the japanese occupying force.
The Air Force, which once had 10000
men and $500 planes in the Pacific,
now has about $4,000 men. One officer
pointed out that the 9th Army's judge
advocate section, which has the task
of bringing to trial hundreds of minor
japanese war criminal suspects, now
has only five legally trained officers.
Macarthur once said the Army would
have only 100000 men in Japan by
June l. The duration of the occupation
and the conduct of the japanese are
two factors which will determine how
long and in what strength the Army
will remain here.
Throughout other Pacific islands,
however, rehabilitation and the dis
mantling of bases continue to reduce
the Armys strength and usefulness.
Some of the bases were purely military
necessities and their loss will not be
noticed. However, it will be necessary
for some time to maintain American
forces where American supplies and
property remain such as the Philip
pines, Okinawa and the Marianas.
THE WESTERN PACIFIC:
Americas hardwon military bases
along the 6,OOO-mile invasion road are
being steadily rolled up. but the Army
indicates it probably will be some time
before the job is completed.
Two of the 10 major bases of Army
forces, Western Pacific, were closed re-
cently-Biak and Hollandia in New
Guinea. Cebu in the Philippines, Fin
schafen in New Guinea and the supply
base at Sydney, Australia, are expected
to be shut down prior to July l.
A theater spokesman said, however,
that three other major Philippine bases
San Fernando-La Union in Central
Luzon, Tacloban on Leyte Island and
Batangas in Southern Luzon, will re-
main operative until the disposal of
surplus property.
The remaining two, Manila and Oki-
nawa, are regarded as "of a permanent
nature"
From peak strength of $4,000 officers
and men in the theater when the Army
was completing last details for the
invasion of Japan, personnel was re-
duced to 10000 by April l. The tenta-
tive figure for July is $500 men, with
further reductions depending on the dis
posal of surplus stock.
The spokesman said the Australian
and Dutch governments have purchased
surplus supplies from bases closed in the
Southwest Pacific. The Army has dis
posed of military stores in New Guinea
totaling 100000 tons, while 1000 tons
have been disposed of in the Philippines.
AUSTRALIA:
American soldiers once numbered in
the hundreds of thousands have dwin-
died to 100 officers and 100 enlisted men
in all Australia.
WlJlllIl year VI lllc dlllVdl VI tIlC
first Americans in Australia in Novem-
ber, 1941, there were about 250000 Yanks
here, including Navy men. During the
war years more than 100000 passed
through the city of Brisbane alone.
In 1943 GI's we're spending about
$20O,0000 900 year in Australia; today
the United States Government is spend
ing about 100000 month here.
There are virtually no United States
service men remaining in New Zealand.
Great quantities of surplus stores have
been shipped back to the United States
because an agreement could not be
reached with the Australian government
on an equitable price, but an Army sur
plus estimated to have cost $35, 600 900
still remains.
LATIN AMERICA:
Acting Secretary of State Acheson
said recently that the United States
was withdrawing its troops from some
Latin american bases ahead of sched-
ule. The continued presence of United
States troops in Central and South
American countries has caused no dip
lomatic crises. he added.