| Show BEHIND THE WAR NEWS NEW Jap Japanese nese Not lk ik ly Jy I to Acc Accept pt Unconditional I Surrender Soon B By CAPT JQHN JOHN H H. CRAIGE The opinion widely held in inthe the United States a month ago that Japan might be expected to surrender unconditionally ally within within with with- in the In the next few days seems al almost al- al most to have disappeared Since that public impression bl blossomed much water has s run i under the br bridge dge While some some civil officials believe the Japs Japs' would given n a a chance to toB B save ve face authorities auth among them of State Joseph Grew and Gen Douglas MacArthur MacArthur MacArthur Mac- Mac Arthur have stated that they hey I do not believe the Nipponese will cave in i Within the past 4 A hours Secy of the Navy James Forrestal For For- restal and Vice Admiral Marc have added dd d their er op opinions 1 ions ioris td to this th belief ef To th the thO stua student of war it It is obvious obvious' under the present circumstances circumstances circumstances cir cir- cir cir- that the condition atthe of at the J Japanese panee is ls similar to that of f the nazis during the last few months o of the E European warThe war war The J Japanese today know was as as I Idid did the nazis early in the present present present pres pres- ent year that at t they ey cannot win their war against the United States They are fully aware aware that they have a losing conflict on their hands hands and they would like to to sell sen it ou out Th They rhey y would woOld sell out pretty cheaply but they are not ready yet to sell ell out outon on ona ona ona a basis of unconditional surrender der This is not particularly surprising sur sur- sur- sur prizing g because ec the average ye g Japanese peasant has has' been educated educated edu edu- to believe that it is his destiny to to conquer much of the Chinese mainland as is well wen as s 's Man and Korea The Japanese believe that they cannot l live ve in a mat material rial way without these conquered territories ri s. s They believe also that they cannot anno surrender and remain honorable in the sight of their national gods As As to their ill-gotten ill empire to the south in the Dutch British East Indies leB Burm Burma and Malaya they would I compromise without hesitation All All' these thee could be bel yielded without loss of face But But the Japanese territories te in Manch Man Man- ch and Korea arc aro a different different differ differ- ent matt matter r. r It Itts is the considered opinion of authorities familiar with th the far fare e eastern stern situation that before be be before fore yielding these on an unconditional surrender b basis ls the Japanese will wilt fight to the J last st at ditch Su Such h a s. last ditch battle batUe will render nece necessary sary a s. peculiarly difficult and desperate c campaign on the part of the United States The campaigns campaigns' of Okinawa Guam and Tarawa have shown how the Japanese can fight on on the defensive with prepared prepared pre pie pared positions and d ti favorable terrain to aid them In Okinawa they th have hav been ald aided d b by bya a mo mount mountainous terrain l ln U liberally sprinkled with cor coral 1 ridges ridge's and d c caves ves On the main Japanese islands the co countryside countryside country country- try try- side is much like that on Oki Old Okinawa Okinawa nawa nawa but bilt the difficulties es are re even greater Tl The J Japanese panes math main aln Islands t like Uke Okinawa consist of th the mountain peaks peaks' of a fon former farther continent which have ve been sunk b below low the level df Of f the sea a for forages forages forages ages an and recently have risen sen senom from om the o oceans ocean's eans ean's depth T ie e top tops top k of f t the e p peaks a s are r granite pinnacles pinnacle but around Joun the bases of ot the lofty peaks coral ora formations ns abound These coral forma formations formations' ate are honeycOmbed honeycombed honey honey- ey- ey combed with Willi caves s. s The coral caves on Okinawa run fo for dozens of underground und and nd f form rm formidable links in hi the Islands Island's nd's defenses The coral caves of the main Japanese islands are ev even n more more extensive than those on Okinawa Okinawa Oki Old nawa and are figured in Japanese Japa Japa- neso nese schemes of defense as be beIng being be- be ing almost impregnable Should their g garrisons fight to the end nd cleaning out outS these coral caves and strongholds may pr prove ve a lengthy and difficult under under- taking Statements and opinions hereIn hereIn herein here in are private to the Writ writer r rand and andare andare andare are not to be construed as re the views o of the navy department ep t |
