The Philippines
p. 36 · Read in the full issue
America Takes Defence Precautions
WHAT would happen to the Philippine Islands if the United States entered the war or if Japan made her long threatened southwards thrust? This question has been the subject of innumer able articles published in American jour nals in recent months.
The concensus of opinion seems to be that, although there are weaknesses in the Philippines defence, invasion could succeed only at a terrific cost of men and material.
The Philippines are in a unique posi tion. Five years ago, America set the Philippines Commonwealth on the road to freedom and independence, with the proviso that she would assume responsi bility for the defence of the islands until 1946, when the Filipinos would be left to fend for themselves after 40 years of US protection. But the European war and the subsequent cloudy situation in the Far East have completely altered the picture.
Instead of a gradual withdrawal, Amer ica now is making hastv efforts to put the Philippines into a state of prepared ness. This year has seen much activity in the group; US military forces have been greatly augmented, American cruis ers have been making big deliveries of munitions and other war materials, and wives and children of US Army and Navy men have been leaving in a steady stream. Larp-e numbers of Filipino re serves, possibly 100.000 men, have been called up for training;.
Embracing over 7.000 islands, the sea girt Philippine archipelago must depend primarily for protection upon the US Asiatic fleet, which up to the end of 1939 comprised a rather meagre complement of cruisers, destroyers and submarines.
To-day. this force has been greatly strengthened, not only by naval vessels but also bv deadly long-range bombing planes. Only quite recently the US Army authorities asked Congress for half a million dollars to construct concrete run ways in the Philippines for heavy bombers.
The most strongly fortified point in the Philippines is the United States estab lishment at Corregidor, the island com manding the entrance to Manila Bay.
This is of vital importance, since the bav could easilv accommodate an entire fleet if it sought refuge there. • Corregidor, which is considered by military exnerts to be capable of long resistance, gffords ample protection from sea attack for Manila and for the Cavite naval base. It is not known how much these fortifica tions have been strengthened recently.
Civilian protection in emergency is the responsibility of the Philinpines Com monwealth officials and planning boards have been working actively for close on a year on such problems as supnlies, transportation, communications, and air raid precautions.
Now, with her defences in order, time alone can tell whether the Philippines will constitute a source of weakness or strength to the United States in the event of war in the Pacific.
Mr. G. H. Miller, son of Mr. George Miller, accountant with Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd., Townsville, and formerly of Port Moresby, Papua, recently obtained his commission in the Royal Air Force, after being trained ih Canada. Newspaper re ports from London at the end of May stated that he had arrived in England with a party of Australian airmen.