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Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS By Edward C. Wayne Wavell Is Removed as Commander In Mew Southwest Pacific Shakeup; Pincers Movement of Russian Army Closing on 96,000 German Troops (EDITOR'S NOTE When opinions are expressed in these columns, they are those of the news analyst and not neoessarily ot this newspaper.; I (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) PINCERS: British Variety Something brand new in warfare had been developed by the British who went . across the channel, knocked out an important German radio location post 12 miles from LeHavre, France, got back to Britain Brit-ain again with only two men slight- i iimifi '-Iii;ijj.'.-----.v.v,-.j TrmrrrW ': BAD NEWS: From Pacific The warnings given the American and British public by President Eoosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill that more reverses could be expected in the South Pacific were borne out when the Japanese, in the face of determined naval opposition, op-position, made three simultaneous landings on Java. There were signs, immediately, that the fall of this island of 40,000,-000 40,000,-000 people was expected, though the shore garrisons were apparently ready to put up a determined fight. Admiral Helfrich's combined Dutch, American, British and Australian Aus-tralian squadrons had sailed out to meet the invaders, and first reports were that, though terrifically outnumbered, out-numbered, the defending vessels had forced the invaders' to scatter. Later news, however, showed that the Japs had managed to evade the ring of steel about the island, and had landed on the east, in the west and on the north central front of the island. The attack was costly to the Japanese, Jap-anese, as they lost a large cruiser and three destroyers. But they got ashore, and in force, the landing on the central portion being described in Batavia dispatches as "extensive." The disturbing news was accompanied accom-panied by word that the American Removal of Sir Archibald P. Wavell, the British general, -as commander-in-chief of the United Nations' fighting forces in the southwest Pacific paved the way to full Dutch command of land, sea and air forces in the Netherlands Nether-lands East Indies. Wavell has resumed re-sumed his appointment as commander-in-chief of India, which includes responsibility for operations oper-ations in Burma and close co-operation with China. consulate in Batavia was destroying its files preparatory to leaving, and that newspaper correspondents and other American civilians had been told to leave. It was understood that the British were giving similar advice to their nationals. How these non-combatants were to get away was the question. They had had a hard enough time getting away from Singapore. That the Japanese would not conquer con-quer Java easily was a foregone conclusion, but the very populous character of the island was going to make it hard for the defenders. Once more they were largely numbered, num-bered, as in Malaya, among the non-combatants. COURT-MARTIAL: For Kimmel, Short The Roberts report on the disaster at Pearl Harbor was finally to emerge as a court-martial for Admiral Ad-miral Kimmel and General Short, the two officers on whose shoulders the Roberts committee squarely placed the blame. Both officers asked retirement. This was granted, but in the granting grant-ing they were informed that this retirement re-tirement was subject to no "wiping out" of any sins they had committed while on active duty. That the officers would be tried by military and naval authorities was SIR ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR . "Perfect timing, courage, surprise" ly wounded, inflicted "heavy casualties" casu-alties" on the enemy and accomplished accom-plished fully their objective. It was a pincers movement, British Brit-ish style. It was a combination ol parachute troops and commandos. The commandos rode across the channel on naval vessels, blacked their faces, loaded their arms into small shallow-draft boats, and rushed ashore. At the same time the paratroops, their faces also blacked, were shooting shoot-ing across the channel in big bombers. bomb-ers. In squads of seven they shot earthward, their supplies, ammunition ammuni-tion and weapons parachuting at the same instant from the bomb-racks. The station's equipment was smashed, prisoners were taken, and the two groups now one, dashed again to the beaches. There they met determined opposition. There was a sharp fight, the Nazis suffered heavy casualties and more prisoners prison-ers were taken. Just as the boats shoved off into the blackness, headlights of heavy German motorized reinforcements were seen dashing to the spot, too late. Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair Sin-clair said this type of offensive agaipst occupied countries would be used again and again. Necessary ingredients were light winds, good visibility, and moonlight. Not to mention perfect timing, courage, and surprise. RUSSIANS: Close Trap The indomitable Red army, pursuing pur-suing its constant offensive against the retiring Germans, was closing its trap in which it claimed a German Ger-man army of 96,000 men were hopelessly hope-lessly surrounded. The spot was the Staraya Russa sector, which had been converted into an important base by the Germans. Ger-mans. Repeated Russian demands for surrender had been ignored by the Nazis, who were being methodically wiped out, in a series of smaller actions within the circle. One of the latest German moves to attempt to break through was heralded, the Russians said, by the sending into the territory of huge supply and troop transport planes. Thirty-eight such craft were de-; stroyed in one day, the Reds assert- j ed, 15 in air combats with Stormovik ! fighters, and 20 on the ground. j The Russians also said that after 1 the transports landed and were de- i stroyed, some of the occupants were taken prisoner. They said they were new troops which had been in training train-ing for the spring offensive. . . 1 xXA . General Short Admiral Kimmel simultaneously but separately announced an-nounced by Secretaries Stimson and Knox. Subject to whatever verdicts the courts may return, both officers, under un-der the retirement, would receive $6,000 life salaries, 75 per cent of their base pay of $8,000. The army and navy authorities were silent when asked by newsmen whether Admiral Kimmel and General Gen-eral Short had requested that they be tried. There was to be no hurry about the trials, both secretaries stating that the trials will not be held "until "un-til the public interest and safety will permit." U. S. JAPS: Who Wants Them? As the spy-chasers redoubled their efforts to round up fifth columnists and active espionage agents, and were arresting hundreds weekly, the problem of what to do with California's Cali-fornia's 93,000 Japs, 33,000 of them aliens, was vexing. Midwestern states didn't want them. Some western states also objected. ob-jected. Utah invited the federal government govern-ment to send 3,000 of them there. Colorado said it would take as many of them as possible, but called it the state's "patriotic duty." As to the Japs themselves, the American citizens among them volunteered vol-unteered to move inland to any point that governmental officials might see fit to select. The aliens apparently didn't care. In Columbus, Ga., 24 homes of residents of German descent were raided. Several photographs and maps of Fort Benning, America's largest army camp, were found and confiscated. MISCELLANY: Tokyo: The newspaper Nichi Nichi warned that the U. S. is about to attack Japan from the Aleutian islands. The Japs claimed a similar simi-lar attempt trom the south had been beaten off. Washington: Science has developed devel-oped a marvelous process by which pure tin can be recovered from discarded dis-carded tin cans. The by-product, also highly valuable, would be scrap metal. Long Beach, Calif.: "Wrong Way" Corrigan is flying airplanes the right way now. He had joined the ferry command. Stockholm: Probability that Sweden Swe-den might soon enter the war was seen in vastly stepped-up military exercises. Many observers felt that u the U. S. and Britain invade Norway Nor-way this spring, Sweden will have to come in. Miami: The duke of Windsor had returned to the Bahamas after what he said was a "satisfactory" conference con-ference regarding American aid for the defense of the islands. New York: James R. McNish of Freeport, L. 1., won $32,000 in an Irish Sweepstakes in 1932. The government gov-ernment has been hunting him since, but can't find him. They want $6,806 in income taxes. Washington: Leon Henderson had clamped ceilings on 25 forms of canned fruits and vegetables. He said a buying panic was imminent in these commodities. London: Lady Astor fell flat on her back during a public meeting she was addressing, but was uninjured. unin-jured. She stepped inadvertently oft the platform. |
