World-War In The Pacific

Progress of Events and What They Signify

The following shows, at a glance, the events in the Pacific War, from the moment that Japan struck at the United States, in the dawn of December 7, up to the present time. (See also page ii).

Pearl Harbour base partly smashed.

HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse sunk.

Guam and Wake Islands seized.

Hong Kong captured.

Thailand occupied.

Celebes (DEI) attacked.

Half of Malaya taken.

Philippines partly occupied.

North Borneo occupied.

Nauru and Ocean Is. bombed.

Northern Gilberts occupied.

Rabaul repeatedly bombed.

American Samoa (Pago Pago) shelled.

Japan clearly put into operation a plan that had been under preparation for months—probably years—and she has had, with it, enormous initial success.

THE Japanese, using Japan as their centre, are striking out, in many directions, as if towards the cir cumference of a half-circle, thus:— WEST, BY SOUTH, against China (partly occupied).

SOUTH-WEST, against Indo-China (occupied), Thailand (occupied), Hong Kong (occupied), Malaya (partly occu pied), Burma (bombed) and Dutch East Indies (bombed).

SOUTH-WEST BY SOUTH, against Philippines (partly occupied) and Brit ish Borneo (occupied).

SOUTH-EAST, against Nauru (bomb ed), Ocean Island (bombed), Guam (occupied), Australian New Guinea (bombed) and Gilbert Islands (partly occupied).

SOUTH-EAST BY EAST, against Wake Island (occupied), Midway Island (bombed), Johnson and Palmyra Islands (bombed) and Hawaii (severely raided and bombed).

Effect Of Japan’S Victories

AN examination of the general situa tion, thus disclosed, shows that the strength of the Japanese was ter ribly under-estimated, and that Japan already has won a series of important victories, which have placed Britain, United States and Netherlands Indies very gravely upon the defensive in the Pacific. Details of those events will be found on page 2, but Japan’s victories, and their effect, may be summarised thus:— Japan’s smashing attack upon Pearl Harbour (Hawaii) and her rapid occu pation of Guam and Wake Islands, crippled American plans for offensive air and naval operations across the Northern Pacific, against Japan.

Japan’s outstanding success in sinking the British battleships “Prince of Wales” and “Repulse” off Malaya crippled Anglo-American plans for naval defence there and gave Japan unchallenged com mand of the South China Sea, and allowed her to send great armies against the Philippines and Malaya.

The seizure by Japan of Hong Kong and the Philippines deprives the Allies of any base, nearer than Singapore, which they may use against Japan — except Vladivostock, and there is no indication at all that Russia intends to fight Japan, The seizure by Japan of important territories gives Japan supplies of vital raw materials, of which the Allies are correspondingly deprived—namely, Phil ippines (world’s biggest producer of copra and coconut oil); North-west Borneo (large oil-wells); Malaya (rub ber and tin).

The occupation of Thailand gave the

enemy large quantities of rice, tin and rubber.

The Japanese Advances

UP to January 14, Japan has suffered only one serious reverse—the crush ing defeat of a large army by the Chinese at Changsha—and her armies are pressing on in Malaya, in the hope of capturing Singapore, and in the hope ,of destroying the still-resisting remnant of American and Filipino forces, near Manila.

If the Philippines are completely occupied, and Japanese naval power remains supreme in the North-west Pacific, it is possible that the Japanese will try to push on through Borneo, to attack the Dutch East Indies and Aus tralian New Guinea. If Singapore falls, such a move is certain.

But the tempo of Japanese advances and successes is perceptibly slower, and there are indications that great Anglo- American forces, having recovered from the first shock of Japan’s smashing vic tories, are coming ponderously into action, and presently may challenge the Japanese advance.

The Immediate Outlook

THE keys to the immediate outlook in the Pacific lie in three places, namely— SINGAPORE. If it is held, the enemy will be taking grave risks in advancing on East Indies. If it is lost, East Indies, New Guinea, Northern Australia and South Pacific Islands will be “for it”.

CHINA AND BURMA. An attempt at a great, concerted Anglo-Indian-Chinese drive against the western flank of the Japanese (in South China, Indo-China and Thailand) seems inevitable. If it succeeds, the whole Pacific position will be relieved.

VLADIVOSTOCK. Russian bombers,

Progress' Of The War In The Pacific

only 500 miles away from Japan’s prin cipal cities, could alter the Japanese situation in a week or two. So far, Rus sian strategy is based on the belief that it is far more important to destroy Hitlerism in Europe than open up another front in the East. rIS Pacific war-field is not compar able with the European war-field,

except that in each field the Allies are facing one very powerful enemy, fighting outwards on well-organised internal defence lines.

In Europe, all operations are land based, while in Asia they are almost wholly sea-based. In Europe, the Ger mans can carry on without command of the sea; but if the Japanese lose control of the North-western Pacific, their whole southwards-thrusting campaign will collapse like a pricked balloon. In Europe, the fronts are independent. In Asia and the Pacific, they are inter dependent—that is, if the Japanese are defeated in Malaya, they must lose the Philippines; if they are smashed in the north or west, they must lose in the south and east.

Therefore, it is important to give an outline of developments on the several Pacific fronts.

South-East Asia—Singapore-

East Indies

JAPANESE armies fully occupy the south-eastern corner of Asia (Indo china and Thailand), and are thrusting strongly southwards, down the Malayan peninsula, towards Singa pore and Dutch East Indies. They have over-run all British defences in North ern Malaya, seized many places produc ing rubber and tin, and occupied num erous aerodromes, from which Singa pore can be attacked.

The enemy is now half-way down the pqninsula. The British are retiring slowly, their obvious tactics being to delay the enemy as much as possible, while Anglo-American forces assemble.

A very large army of British, Indian and Chinese is gathering in Burma, whence it is likely to make a powerful

attack, through Thailand, upon the Japanese flank. Meanwhile, a smashing defeat of Japanese armies before Chang sha, in China, may vitally affect the Malayan position.

From their new bases in Northern Malaya and Southern Thailand, Japan ese are constantly raiding places in the East Indies, but they do only minor damage.

The most southerly DEI island is Timor, close to the Australian coast; and the eastern half of Timor is Portu guese. As Japan always has shown a lively interest in Portuguese Timor, and it would be an ideal place from which to raid Australia, a joint Dutch - Australian force moved in in December and took possession of the territory.

Philippines and Borneo

rE American forces in Philippines were no more adequate for pur poses of defence than the British in Malaya; and the Japanese, enjoying sea and air supremacy, kept on pouring in fresh troops until they secured prac tically the whole group.

The Japs received much help from the very large “fifth column” they have in the Philippines. At least 40 per cent, of the group’s retail trade is in Japanese hands, and the large island of Mindanao carried a Jap population of at least 20,000. Officially, ~the Filipinos fought beside the Americans for their freedom (the Philippines were to become com pletely independent in 1946), but actu ally many Filipinos are pro-Japanese.

The Japs had no difficulty in making landings all over the group, and so closed in on and captured Manila.

North and West Borneo was not seri ously defended by the British and Dutch.

The latter claimed that they destroyed the important oil-wells before with

drawing; but Tokio since has announced that the Japs have the oilfields back in production.

Raids on Rabaul SOON after the Pacific war started, it transpired that the Japanese had constructed a sea-plane base at Kapingamarangi (or Greenwich) Island, which is part of the Caroline Islands, and which lies just north of the equa tor, 400 miles north-east of the Man dated Territory of New Guinea. It was an unpleasant shock to the public to find that the Asiatics had secretly pre pared a base so close to us—not a word of it had been heard until the Japs came over in December, This island lies far to the south of the rest of the Caro lines, towards ’New Guinea and Solo mons, so the secret building of the base there clearly was directed at us.

It evidently was known to the RAAF, however, because our planes attacked the Kapingamarangi base before the Japs attacked Rabaul.

Kapingamarangi, lying almost on the equator, 400 miles west of Nauru, con sists of 28 islets, lying along a circular reef which is 14 miles across from north to south and 8i miles across, east to west. There are between 100 and 200 native inhabitants. It now evidently is a base for big sea-planes, and the lat ter, in addition to carrying out many reconnaissance flights over the New Guinea islands, made the following direct attacks on Rabaul: — Jan. 4 —Noon: Sixteen twin-engined Jap long-range bombers, flying in a double echelon, at about 12,000 feet, dropped 10 bombs, which fell along the edge of the RAAF airfield. Twelve natives were killed and 22 wounded. No Europeans were hurt and little material damage was done. RAAF aircraft attempted interception, but the enemy dispersed widely.

Jan. 4—B p.m.: Eleven enemy machines dropped bombs, but there was no dam age or casualties.

Jan. 6. —Long-range flying-boats drop ped bombs on the RAAF aerodrome to night. Slight damage. RAAF fighters vainly attempted interception.

Jan. 7. —Japanese planes dropped bombs on the RAAF aerodrome. Some damage was done to RAAF aircraft on the ground.

Since then, there have been other raids.

The Jap method is to appear from a great height, drop a few bombs, and disperse and disappear quickly. Such attacks cannot be guarded against, or intercepted—but they do little damage.

The Japs come from the Caroline

Islands—probably Kapingamarangi—and

the latter base has been repeatedly attacked by RAAF planes. The latter’s first attack was made on December 18, when an aircraft on the ground was damaged and interceptors driven off.

Another Australian raid took place on January 2, when fires were started and damage done to buildings and personnel.

In these and subsequent raids, the Australians have stirred up the Kapin gamarangi Japs in no uncertain fashion.

These long-distance, hit-and-run raids on New Guinea and Solomons are likely to continue so long as the Japs remain in the Carolines, and enjoy air suprem acy in their part of the North-west Pacific.

Nauru—Ocean Is.—Gilbert

Islands

STRIKING southward from the Mar shall and Caroline Islands, the

Japanese have attacked the British islands of Nauru (phosphate), Ocean Island (phosphate) and Northern Gil berts. which lie roughly in a line, west to east, along the equator, north-east of New Guinea.

Nauru has been bombed repeatedly, but no reports of any damage have been published. This is an Australian-admin istered territory. All women and child ren were evacuated months ago, except three nurses. Mrs. (Dr.) Tothill and two Australian sisters. Four Catholic sisters were evacuated.

Ocean Island has been bombed sev eral times. All women and children (except two Australian nurses) had been evacuated. A Jap plane flew over on December 8, and on the morning of December 9, three Jap four-engined fly ing-boats arrived and dropped bombs,

one of which “practically demolished” the new Residency.

This attack by the Japanese on Ocean Island had some curious features. The buildings and factories of the great phosphate - working installation are massed on the shores of a small bay, at the south-west side of Ocean Island, and are a most conspicuous target from

the air. The Residency, on the other hand, was a large white building on the north-eastern side of the island, about three miles from the phosphate installa tion. The Residency probably was about the most conspicuous single build ing on the island. The only buildings near it are the Government offices, about 150 yards away, the radio station, another 100 yards further away, and the residence of Mr. S. G. Clarke, Government Treasurer. The Residency, with its big flag-pole and conspicuously waving flag, could not be mistaken for anything else.

The fact that the enemy bombed the Residency and not the phosphate works gives colour to the belief that the Japan

ese plan to seize these immensely valu able phosphate islands of Ocean Island and Nauru, and work them for their own benefit. rE Residency, which has been des troyed, was described only in the last issue of the “Pacific Islands Monthly”, as the finest residency in the South Seas. It was completed a couple of years ago at a cost of over £lO.OOO and it was a big, cool, handsome build ing, very cleverly designed to provide comfort for Europeans in that hot equa torial region. A photograph of the Residency, taken in October last, is printed on the front page of this issue.

Mr. R. H. Garvey, one of the best known of the officials of the Western Pacific High Commission, was in resi dence at Ocean Island, acting as Resi dent Commissioner of the G. & E. Col ony, when the bombing occurred, and he appaarently escaped unhurt—although his loss in personal effects must have been serious. Mr. Fox Strangways, the new Resident Commissioner, passed through Melbourne on his way to the Central Pacific, from Tanganyika, a few weeks ago, but it is not thought that he has yet reached Ocean Island. Mrs.

Garvey and their two children are awaiting Mr. Garvey in Suva. Mr. Gar vey is to proceed to Tanganyika as Dis trict Officer as soon as Mr. Fox Strang ways arrives in Ocean Island.

Japs in the Gilberts

WITHIN two days of declaring war, Japanese forces arrived at and occupied the Northern Gilbert islands of Butaritari, Abaiang and Tar awa, and made prisoners of all Euro peans remaining there.

It is not known how many Europeans

were taken prisoner; but it is feared that most of the men staffing the Administration, the Catholic missions, the stores of Burns, Philp and On Chong & Co., and three or four resident trad ers, were seized by the invaders.

It is reported in Sydney that about 25 sisters from the Catholic missions in the Northern Gilberts were evacuated before the Japanese arrived.

On January 8, we learned that the LMS schooner, “John Williams”, which arrived at Suva from the Gilberts before Christmas, brought Mrs. Eastman and another lady from LMS headquarters at Beru (Southern Gilberts) and also seven women and four children, being the families of European officials at Tarawa.

It is presumed that these comprise Mrs.

Bevington and two children, Mrs. Steen son, Mrs. and Miss Holland, Mrs. Eng lish, Mrs. Harness and one child, and Mrs. Sinclair. This news was received with much relief in Sydney, where there had been anxiety for the safety of the women and children who were still on Tarawa in November.

Rev. J. H. Spivey, of Abaiang, was the only LMS missionary in the Northern Gilberts; and he, with his wife and four .children, fortunately came south on furlough some time ago.

Soon afterwards, it was reported that the Japs had abandoned Tarawa, but it is not known whether they abandoned also the prisoners they took there.

The atolls of Makin (or Butaritari) and Abaiang, still in Japanese occupa tion, are fairly good ports. Tarawa lagoon is not so good, although ithe chief British port on the group.

The Government vessel, “Nimanoa”, about 200 tons, which was lying in Tarawa lagoon, was run up on the reef there. The fate of the schooners, “Kia kia” (Government), “Helena” (Burns,

Philp), and “Theresa” (Roman Catholic Mission), which also usually lay in Tarawa, is unknown here.

There never were more than two or three score Europeans in the economic ally-useless Gilberts: but there is a large community of a very good type of Euro nesian.

An interesting fact is that most of these half-castes are the descendants of German fathers and Marshall Island mothers, who were born in the Marshall Islands prior to the Japanese taking them over in 1914 from Germany. Dur ing the last 20 years the Japanese have carried out a ceaseless and ruthless campaign for the elimination of all European elements in the Marshall Islands: and, as a consequence, a con siderable number of these Euronesians have been driven from the Marshall Islands into the Gilbert Islands, where they were accorded freedom and full rights of citizenship under the British flag. Therefore, although some of them are still German nationals, their hatred of the Japanese generally outweighs any anti-British sentiment they may have, and their position under the new condi tions will be tragic.

Attacks Upon Hawaii and Other

Islands

Simultaneously with the devas tating attack upon American naval and air forces in Hawaii, on Decem ber 7. the Japanese attacked advanced American bases at Guam (Mariana Islands), Wake Is. and Midway Is., and demonstrated off the coast of California.

The attack on Pearl Harbour (Hawaii) caused disorganisation which temporarily paralysed the Anglo-American plan for meeting any Japanese thrust. USA lost one battleship, a training-ship which was an old battleship, three destroyers and an old minelayer, as well as 91 offi cers and 2638 men killed and 656 wounded. Very many aircraft were destroyed, and several other warships were severely damaged.

Japan’s plan to paralyse USA by a sudden knock-out blow failed, because the American fleet was at sea, ready for anything, within 24 hours; but the provisional Anglo-American plan to meet a possible Japanese attack was seriously dislocated.

Within four days, on December 11, the Japanese over-ran and captured the American island of Guam, in the Man anas. This was always expected to be an early development of an American- Jap war—the island is right in among scores of fortified Japanese islands.

Wake Island (north of the Marshalls and half-way between Hawaii and Guam) was regarded as important; and, when war broke out, there were upon it, in addition to 400 well-armed marines, about 1000 workmen who were con structing a powerful naval and air base.

Although the Japs threw very powerful forces at the island, the little garrison put up a magnificent defence, held off the invaders for 14 days before they were overwhelmed on December 22, and sank no less than seven Jap warships, including one light cruiser and three destroyers.

The Japs attacked Midway Island, a fortified base nearer to and north-west of Hawaii, but Midway is still in Ameri can possession.

Johnston and Palmyra, fortified islands respectively south-west and south of Hawaii, have been both shelled by Jap submarines, but damage was negligible.

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Japan, on January 5, claimed that Jap warships attacked a Hawaiian port and destroyed an American warship and damaged another, and blew up military establishments elsewhere in Hawaii.

USA did not reply.

Free France With Allies In

Pacific

VICHY radio, on December 11, announced that Vichy France and Japan had reached an agreement confirming the policy of French neutral ity in the Pacific. This spectacle of the men of Vichy, bowing their heads to the Asiatics, is even more sickening than the sight of Vichy France’s pathetic “collaboration” with Hitlerism.

Fortunately, the Frenchmen of the Pacific do not belong to Vichy. The Free French of New Caledonia, New Hebrides and French Oceania, under the inspiring leadership of High Commis sioner d’Argenlieu and Governor Henri Sautot, are co-operating right worthily with the ABCD Powers in meeting the new menace in the Pacific.

It was announced in the New Cale donian newspapers late in December that “the de Gaulle representative in the United States was negotiating with the American Government for the crea tion of Allied bases in New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands. Tahiti and Marquesas”.

Wake and Midway Islands

MIDWAY and Wake Islands have been the scene of heavy expenditure by American civil and naval aviation interests. They are on the direct North Pacific air route between Hawaii and the Philippines. Pan American Airways Clippers, on their way to Asia, flew 1320 miles north-west to Midway, and re mained there overnight; then 1260 miles south-west to Wake, and remained there overnight; and thence on to Guam, Manila and Hong Kong.

Midway, Wake, Guam, Manila and Hong Kong were all equipped for this passenger service; and, also, all were being equipped, at huge cost, as air and naval bases. This was the trans pacific bridge across which American forces would have to advance to attack Japan.

Within three weeks of Japan’s opening attack, four of the five places named were in Japanese hands: and it is obvious not only that the Japanese have cap tured enormous quantities of American stores and equipment, but also that those places must be recaptured before the war against Japan can be carried home.

Wake and Midway Islands, until about 1935. were merely low heaps of sunbaked sand. By 1941 they had become busy stations, equipped with hotels, wireless stations, weather bureaux, and repair

facilities for the aircraft. Formerly remote from the world, they now attained to regular contact with it. They had become links in the great air-bridge of 5860 miles between Hawaii and the Philippines. Next step was to fortify both islands. At Midway, fortification programme was fairly advanced, at Wake much less so.

Before the outbreak of war in the Pacific, a chief difficulty of the Midway authorities was to get American labour ers to “stick” on the island, for more than three months, even at 600 dollars a month.

“Here,” wrote one American visitor, after calling at Midway, a few months ago, “on this second stepping-stone to America’s Manifest Destiny, are several lonely thousands of the unsung heroes of our unwaged war.”

Then, when America’s war was no longer, unwaged, the men of Midway were no longer unsung. Nor were they suffering from boredom.

They had to put into practice the spirit of a ceremony enacted on the island only last August, when “To the Colours” was blown, the Flag was run up, a watch was posted, and the Navy’s new station came into commission.

Wake, less strongly fortified, is only about three miles long and half a mile wide at any point—is shaped like a V, and is, therefore, by way of being a double island—two coral atolls heavily carpeted with sand and besprinkled with low vegetation.

“There was not even a coconut palm to be seen,” Lady Diana Duff Cooper complained recently. “Just those great red dredges and cranes and tractors to remind one that even such a remote spot, in the middle of the Pacific, could be touched by the fingers of war.”

Wake was staffed at the same time as Midway. It has the standard Pan Ameri can Airways hotel, some few houses, and the vital airfield.

Shells on Pago Pago

A HIT-AND-RUN attack by a light Japanese naval vessel was made on the US naval station at Pago Pago, on the island of Tutuila, Eastern Samoa. Fourteen light shells were fired before the raider fled. The shells did no damage, but three people were injured slightly.

Conditions in Tahiti From Our Own Correspondent

Tahiti, Dec. 10.

ALTHOUGH the great war is now much closer to us, conditions in this terri tory are quiet and we have settled down to a normal way of life. We are under some rationing restrictions, but we are suffering nothing whatever in the way of hardship.