Show Behind the War News i I Major Maior Eliot Eliot- Says By Uy Major George Fielding Eliot The defense of the vital lines of communication of the Indian ocean of India itself of Australia Australia Australia Aus Aus- and the middle east all center for the moment on the defense of Java This island the bastion and citadel of the Netherlands East Indies is in a precarious tion To the west of it the Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese have a foothold on Sumatra Sumatra Sumatra Su Su- Su- Su matra they are pushing toward the southern tip of Sumatra where they will stand directly opposite Java on the strategic Strait of Sunda From this position position position tion Japanese fighter planes can operate over western Java On the east the Japanese have landed in Bali separated from Java only by a very narrow strait Here their landing has been fiercely opposed and re reports reports reports re- re ports now arriving indicate that the new United Nations Nations- naval Nations naval commander in these waters Admiral Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral Helfrich of the Dutch navy is taking the offensive with vigor and success against the Japanese invading fleet It does not seem likely that he has force enough to stop them though he can certainly make the passage of the Java sea cost them very d dear ar One encouraging sign is the strong air support which Helfrich Helfrich Helfrich Hel Hel- frich appears to possess but again considering again considering the factors of time and distance it may be expected that the Japanese will eventually be able to bring to bear stronger air power than the Dutch can muster even with some aid from outside At the moment the Japanese are probably probably probably ably suffering from a lack of fighter support which they can obtain only from carriers until they have a firm hold on Bali hence it is likely that Helfrich's main effort will be devoted to trying to destroy the Japanese carriers and if he succeeds in doing this he may at least purchase purchase purchase pur pur- chase considerable delay If the Japanese make good their landing on Bali Bah however they will proceed to set up a fighter base there at once with the remarkable speed and efficiency efficiency efficiency effi effi- which they displayed in doing the like on Luzon and in Malaya Having obtained air cover they will then attempt a direct landing in force on Java and the success of that operation operation operation opera opera- tion will depend very largely on how much air power the Dutch I have left and how much can reach them in the meanwhile The defense of west Java seems somewhat more precarious ous since here the Japanese have to do no more than cross the Strait of Sunda However they will be some time in collecting enough troops in south Sumatra for the purpose so that there may be a little time gained gained- and they are not yet on the shore of the strait the resistance of the Sumatra troops being still In progress In the end however it seems likely that Java Jav will fall unless help from outside can get there therein in great volume and very quickly quick quick- ly and unless the Japanese can be forced to give their attention to their interests elsewhere di diverting diverting diverting di- di strength especially air strength from the Java thea thea- ter So much depends on Java holding fast or at least on Java holding until steps have been taken to make more secure the dreadfully vulnerable communications communications communications of the united nations nation's in inthe inthe inthe the Indian ocean that it can canwell canwell canwell well be supposed that every ef effort effort effort ef- ef fort is being made to reinforce the great Dutch island Fortunately Java possesses one good sheltered port on its southern coast where ships coming from Australia or orthe orthe orthe the cape can land and this port has good road and rail connections connections connections with with- the other parts of the island Thus Java can be supplied without the necessity of running the gantlet of Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese ships and planes inside the Java sea Indeed one of Javas Java's great elements of strength is its j network of railways and motor- motor i roads which will permit the Dutch command to shift troops and supplies quickly from point to point and will give them superior superior superior su su- su- su mobility by land to the Japanese mobility by sea This is a fact of great importance and one of which the Dutch will take the best advantage Nevertheless it must be expected ex- ex expected expected ex ex- that the Japanese willbe will willbe willbe be in overwhelming numbers as asfar asfar asfar far as troops are concerned will willbe willbe j be superior in the air as soon as they have established their fighter fight fight- er bases in Bali and Sumatra and will be increasingly superior superior superior supe supe- at sea as the small allied 1 force suffers attrition while re reinforcements reinforcements re- re reach the Japa Japa- J nese |