The War in the Pacific
Events in the west should not obscure from us the grimness and the importance of the relentless war that is being waged in the tropical islands of the South Pacific. Step by step in the Solomon and New Guinea the Australians and the Americans have been fighting their way towards objectives which, when won, may seem to leave them still an intolerable distance from their ultimate goal. But we must recognise this hard fighting as the necessary preliminary, first for securing the defences of Australia, and secondly as pro- viding the essential jumping-off ground for future offensives on a larger scale against the Japanese. The capture of Salamaua on the north coast of New Guinea and the virtual investment of Lae, the strong and last important base held by the enemy on the great island of New Guinea, brings the Allies a stage farther on their long journey. When the full story of the war in New Guinea comes to be told it will be one of thrilling conquest over incredibly difficult country of mountain, jungle, swamp, tropical life and a diabolically ingenious and -fearless enemy. The expedition from Port Moresby ending in the capture of Buna was one stage of the operations. The attack on Salamaua and now on Lae is -another, facilitated by surprise landings from the sea and the transport by air of men and equipment. The capture of Lae will bring the Allies nearer to a still more important objective, Rabaul. The war against Japan will not be won by such laborious procedure. But at this stage it is the best way to undermine the Japanese position.
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