Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 07 March 1942
Time To Strip
The Allies continue to wage unequal war in the Pacific.
The scene changes to Java and the brunt of the Japanese assault falls now upon the sturdy Dutch, who having accepted ruin now stand on guard over their lives and liberties with such help as the Americans, the British, and the Chinese can afford. Our naval attempts to ward off the blow have been costly and have not prevented the landing of a great force. Unless Allied reinforcements arrive quickly and in great strength Java will go the way of Malaya and the great Dutch barrier will be down.
Since the fall of Singapore the Allies have been posed the dreadful dilemma of simultaneous defence of two major bastions, Burma and Java, and are likely to lose both through attempting to hold both. All is not yet lost in Java, however, and the Dutch will certainly give the succours a better chance than did the garrison of Malaya. The stern temper of the Netherlands East Indies Government is revealed in the prohibition of all civilian evacuation. The Dutch are to stay and see it out with the native population. In that spirit the Dutch may yet conquer.
At home a commando raid of all arms on the northern coast of France has given us a fugitive glimpse of the offensive by means of which we hope one day to catch the Germans between two fires. When we are able to climb back into France and to raid with the elan of the Japanese we shall have entered upon the final phase of the war. But for the Pacific disaster we might by now have re-opened the second front for which the Russians are again pressing and have forestalled or precipitated a German assault on these islands. The Germans have been helped by the Japanese entry into the war to an extent almost comparable with the help we have received from the diversion of the German war machine eastward.
The French have sold the pass east and west, and the Allies are haunted and dogged at every step by the consequences of that cowardly and corrupt surrender.
The struggle in the Atlantic is sharpened at the moment when the resources of the Royal Navy are strained to the utmost. Our task in all the oceans is now being shared by the Americans who, however, are yet far from being an effective factor, measured against the emergency.
Our food stock position is good, thanks in part to greatly increased home production. but we are faced with a drastic reduction of imports and must tighten our belts. That sacrifice and all else that is needed will be given by this nation to a Government which has the nerve and spirit to demand and take it.
The best of Britain has long been stripped for combat a outrance: it is to strip the rest.