| Show 1 1 I This t Is s the Rampart r to Watch Watch Watch Java Java Ja a No 7 1 Prize in the Rich Dutch East Indies Coveted by Japans Japan's J pans pan's Marauding Hordes Hord s in Drive brive DriverE 1 J il rE j tH l r MAIN ARMY HEADQUARTERS a ea i AND SITE OF HUGE ARSENAL i 1 1 I i ji t 1 6 ilk 4 lL it illi i 1 NAVAL BASE CAN BUILD DESTROYERS AND REPAIR UP TO HEAVY CRUISERS i w i n j iii k sy e r I ar i N 0 a ii A ii D rg c H ff u 4 sit u si 9 4 w L t 2 i c v G MiliTARY OPERATIONS CENTERS I e MINOR NAVAL INSTALLATIONS BALI 1 RADIO TRANSMITTING STATIONS Q KNOWN N MILITARY AIR FIELDS OIL 1 I i b lh FIELDS REFINERIES FIELDS L i iu i c l- l J L A u MILES r Lack of Tanks Planes Handicaps 1 I Defenders of Strategic Java By JOHN JOliN GROVER Wide World Service Writer Japans Japan's little brown men are gr grabbing for the No 1 pr prize ze inthe inthe in inthe I the East Indies rich and beautiful Java The island is the strategic and economic keystone In the mile arch of the Netherlands Netherlands Netherlands Nether Nether- lands East Indies archipelago I Its incredibly productive volcanic volcanic vol vol- canic canto ash soil supports persons making it the most densely populated corner corner of the earth The doughty Dutch have long known their Javanese treasure storehouse was coveted by Japan They've made the best preparations preparations preparations in the whole southwest Pacific Pa Pa- to keep it safe afe They didn't depend on tenuous tenuous- communication lines to supply the armed forces guarding the island Instead they established a modern modera modern mod mod- ern era arms factory at where small arms ammunition and field guns are manufactured They have their own shipyards at employing men mento mento mento to rush construction of an augmented augmented augmented aug aug- fleet of fast hitting hard-hitting torpedo boats Mountains Are Defense The mountainous of Java which includes a dozen active active active ac ac- ac- ac tive volcanoes is the main defense defense defense de de- de- de line The highway net winds through mountain passes and an invader would pay a heavy price for advances through such terrain The population packed to the square mile might offer evacuation evacuation evacuation evac evac- problems Unless removed from battle zones the civilian refugees refugees refugees ref ref- might hamper m mil military I I I ita t a r y movements on the roads The Dutch have a compact but powerful navy of five cruisers eight destroyers 21 23 submarines t 12 mine layers and a lot of torpedo torpedo torpedo tor tor- boats estimated at close to Composition of the fleet indicates indicates indi indi- cates a defense plan of mining sea approaches and using light fast forces to raise hob with any troop convoys approaching the island Network of Air Fields Official Dutch sources placed theair theair the theair air force strength at bombers and fighters in January American American Amer Arner- ican British and Australian planes have reinforced the air force re re- re- re Dutch commercial airlines has established a network of landing landing landing land land- ing fields over the island and the military has added a number of new and secret air bases The army of mixed Dutch and native troops numbers Its It's a tough able force carrying a high percentage ge of mechanized equipment and has been strengthened strength strength- ened recently by Australian forces Chief Lack Is Planes The chief lack is in antitank guns and fighter airplanes the same weakness that has contributed contributed contributed contrib contrib- most to the severe losses suffered by the united nations Inthe in inthe inthe the southwest Pacific The islands island's defense depends on whether plane reinforcements get there in time A great deal hinges on Java Its It's the outpost now guarding Australia and the main allied bases in the whole area Its loss would be a terrific setback not only as strategic grounds but because because because be be- cause cause its vast natural resources would greatly aid the Japanese war effort I |
