| Show t Behind the War News 1 Major Maior a or Eliot lot Says a se 1 By MAJOR l GEORGE FIELDING ELIOT Reports of enemy activities inthe in inthe inthe the Aleutian islands following their unsuccessful attack on Dutch Harbor have been per per- The Japanese undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly edly have some purpose in sending send send- sending sending ing men and ships to these islands the outermost of the Aleutian chain though it is not yet clear what that purpose may be There seems little reason to suppose that the purpose is offensive offensive offensive of of- toward Alaska and the larger islands of the Aleutian group itself The Japanese capacity capacity capacity ca ca- for the amphibious offensive offensive offensive of of- in the north Pacific was pretty well wiped out at Mid Mid- way They have learned as we have that air support is an absolute absolute absolute ab ab- solute essential for any such proceeding and air support is the one thing the Japanese cannot cannot cannot can can- not now give to any serious attack attack at at- attack tack in such distant waters Their large carriers are gone their smaller carriers what few they have remaining would inevitably in inevitably inevitably in- in be overwhelmed by our shore-based shore aircraft were they to come within our radius of of action As for building up a achain achain achain chain of land bases such as they did in the Netherlands Indies Indies Indies In In- dies the outer islands of the Aleutian chain do not lend themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to the construction of runways and are not too well adapted for the operation of seaplanes the weather er appears to be unpromising There is therefore good reason reason reason rea rea- son to accept within the limits of a projected offensive against ourselves the published statements statements statements state state- ments that the temporary presenCe presence presence pres pres- ence of the Japanese at Attu and in the Rat islands is of little importance Yet they are there and so far in this war they have done nothing without reason One answer might be that the Japanese forces reported inthe islands may be merely a part of the force which thrust at Dutch Harbor a part of the preliminary moves leading to that attack and that they have been trapped in their exposed positions by bad weather which has prevented their withdrawal This is the simplest explanation and may well be true There is also the possibility though it ft is remote that the Japanese decided to maintain these positions as long as possible possible possible pos pos- sible for propaganda purposes to offset the heavy defeat at Midway This is borne out by bythe bythe the tremendous play which the axis radio has been giving the Japanese landings in the Aleutian Aleutian Aleu Aleu- tian islands Then there is a third Po J For some weeks it has hai h- h been a growing conviction in th the minds of careful observers that that at the Japanese are going to TV compelled to attack the R be Russian far eastern Chines provinces th this s S auml mer The Chinese C e whose mati matlon mation on is usually very gOOd ennd api ap pear to believe that the thea is Imminent The reasons behind attar I. I it ft have been fully dis discuss these articles and discussed still stin oed ill D bile Indeed they are even more me amo COlli now that the Ja M have suffered heavy naval seas which deprive them of mUch o of their offensive sea power for the weaker their 31 g becomes at sea pa the 4 greater themselves their at need home to strength strengthen yep tS and continent of Asia on tt the The greater the threat to the theli t sea communications 4 the KIM greater the compulsion to improve improve thell theli their land communications wi with th th their feu southern conquests in south China Malaya Burma and Indo Isdo China For the strengthening these positions and ot of the elimination of the Russian threat is a 11 necessity necessity- or to take the longer view th the tbt Japanese have gambled on os German victory in Europe lack a ing which they can never be ft secure in possession of their loo loot and they must now whether they like it or not do their be best beat to bring such a victory about aboul i They found themselves unable to proceed with their operations operation against India so they must now turn to an attack on Russia Russia's II the only major help they can offer the Germans Considering the matter thus thin they would have a definite reason for desiring to occupy at tl least a temporary position in faVI the outer Aleutians This would serve as a listening post pos to in an observation station from which they could get some warning i in incase case we were to move to the aid of the Russians in the northern Pacific As long as they could maintain it such a post would be of f great value to a a. Japan embroiled with Russia Russia- I j Of course all this is again I nothing more than an examination exam exam- from the viewpoint o of conjecture of the pure various various' possibilities of a situation is in fact obscure and may Je main so for some time There t does however seem seem to be sound annul I reason for believing that the I 1 Japanese are much more anxious than they were a few weeks weela I ago that they are beginning to to toi r i view their immediate future in inthe I the light of men who having I committed themselves to a desperate gamble have hay now no I choice but to go on piling stake f t tafter after stake up on the board to toll I 1 Iwin win all or to lose all 11 I |
