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Show fillWAKD MARCH By II. S. Sims, Jr. lR roNTlM'lW TO IMC , ,,X I'EOrl.ES SJbS OF DCTA1L8 m.,vr outlook is discouraging T o American who expected the dl rmv to run the Germans out the Axis to be over-of over-of u-ith fear because we are ttwar and the Bri-fff Bri-fff every German fac-L fac-L and shipyard. ,'t is not exactly what Amcrl-" Amcrl-" ejected so long as we de-' de-' ourselves with the idea that Japanese, for example, would dare attack this powerful na-"1 na-"1 Now that the fighting has mpnced it is somewhat stun-C0" stun-C0" o learn that the Japanese If confidence in their ability to lp us and that they are ag-Zively ag-Zively pursuing a campaign having that object in mind, resent Situation Foreseen . . . The war situation, grave as it is one the Russian battlefield and i other areas, is not worse than could have been foreseen by the use of ordinary intelligence. The Axis nations are reaping the full advantage of superior preparedness and planned strategy and taking advantage of the slowness with which democracies respond to the demands of war. It is a possibility, of course, that the Axis may win the war and before be-fore the end of 1942. However, in the light of reason, this is not to be expected, no matter what happens in Russia, Africa, or the Far East. The combination of forces lined up against the aggressors is sufficient to bring victory to the United Nations Na-tions although the triumph may be delayed by improper strategy and tardy acceptance of the war's demands. de-mands. The Measure of Our Task . . . The next sixty days will give us tho lueii.Hiiro of tusk that confronts-tho confronts-tho United States and iin estimate in tlu cost In blood and money. How well tho Russians withstand tlu siwnge German onslaught will doolilo tho extent of our exertion. Tho next phase of tho fighting In Africa may well affect the disposition disposi-tion of American forces and what Japan attempts to do in the next few months will give us a diagram of tho future war in the Pacific. It is essential that we understand under-stand that the Japanese are fighting fight-ing their own war, although concurrently con-currently with tho German attack. Tokyo will plan future campaigns with an eye single to the development develop-ment of Japanese plans. These will bo aggressive, if booty is likely to bo obtained, and defensive, if necessary neces-sary to preserve enormous gains that have been made in the Far East. Our war task in the Far East will vary with the fortunes of the struggles. If Japan seeks to Invade and subjugate the United States, we will face a far different prospect pros-pect than if we have to assume the job of driving Japan out of conquered con-quered and fortified islands and eventually invade Japan proper. Russian Facts Not Available . . . In Russia the fighting continues to place the Red army in desperate desper-ate straits but the information that comes to us from the Soviet is so restricted that it is impossible to foretell with accuracy what the future holds for the fighting Reds. The spectacular German advance in the Ukraine may have been accomplished ac-complished only at terrific cost in men and materiel. On the other hand, it may have inflicted enormous enor-mous losses upon the defending armies. Whether Marshal Timo-shenko's Timo-shenko's withdrawals have been orderly, upon strategic considerations, considera-tions, or after decisive defeats, thej world at large has no way to tell. We think it can be safely assumed assum-ed that the Red army will continue the struggle regardless of losses but one should recognize the possibility pos-sibility that continuing German advances ad-vances may make it all but impossible impos-sible for the Soviet to keep a great army in the field. Should organized Russian resistance resist-ance collapse, Hitler would certainly certain-ly be in a position to attack Great Britain, advance in the Near East, or fall back upon a defensive strategy stra-tegy designed to hold the part of Europe that he has conquered and invite the Anglo-Saxons to undo what they do not like. We Know Little of the Aleutians . . . The entire war is shrouded in mystery, with Americans knowing little of what goes on in the Pacific, Pa-cific, much less Europe, Asia and Africa. This is illustrated by the Japanese occupation of the Aleutian Aleu-tian islands, where we do not yet know the strength of the invaders. We wonder whether the enemy seeks to establish bases to attack us or to isolate Russia. Naturally, it is not wise for the army and navy to take the public into complete confidence about such matters. Naval reports indicate indi-cate that the Japanese are suffering suffer-ing ship losses and the public may well presume that our military and naval leaders know what they are doing. This is the way wars are' fought and the public and writers about the war must be satisfied, even if they can't tell what is going to happen, where and when. |