Show washington NEWS LETTER from congressman W K grange granger april 6 1945 1943 the attention of the world is turning from europe to the pacific arvil and we are interested in the potential military power of japan whick must be destroyed before peace cai be realized JAPANESE MILITARY POWER the japanese military forces presently consist of about men the figure includes a ground force of over infantry divisions several armored divisions many in dependent supporting forces corresponding roughly to our marino marine corps the navy consists of about I 1 75 major combatant units including at least 6 battleships 6 to 10 carriers 10 to 15 cruisers and 40 or more destroyers included in the army and navy is an air force of about operational aircraft in addition t there are over manchurian and chinese puppets puppets organized as auxiliary military units these military forces are supplemented supplement edby by large numbers of labor troops mostly koreans and present information in choates that the ordinary conscription processes have been accelerated for this year and that about I 1 new men are now in the process of being mobilized and trained the total forces by the end cz ct the present year therefore should be well over men less the attrition which will occur in the tha interim EQUIPMENT MORALE AND FIGHTING SPIRIT the equipment of the japanese forces may be considered good morale high ana anai fighting spirit excellent the armeal japanese are sufficiently well armed and equipped to give a good account c 0 u nt of themselves in battle especially p e bially ally when favored by the terrain the morale and fighting spirit of the japanese soldier has been so high as to greatly compensate for what he may lack in heavy equipment the army as a whole is still well equipped with good small ismall arms good light and medium artillery and with fair tanks as well as the usual other supporting materiel the japanese soldier is a fanatic who will fight to the end benj or commit suicide rather than face what he feels to be the disgrace ol 01 capt capture the japanese knows that he is on the defensive but he is determined ter mined to make the war so costly that we will give up before the job is done |