May 27, 1945; TOKYO VIRTUALLY DESTROYED, STILL BURNING:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 27, 1945:

The Antonio Express

 

MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS—LEASED WIRE SERVICE UNITED PRESS, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, NEW YORK TIMES

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAs7~SUNDAY^MoirNING, MAY ~27 1945

 

 

Wiping Tokyo From Earth

Costs U.S. Loss of 31 B-29s

Japanese Radio Admits

City Virtually Destroyed;

70-Mile Gale Fans Flames

 

by Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO, May 26. Japanese broadcasters said the "greater part" of Tokyo was burned out Saturday by American fire bombs, abruptly reversing their past policy of minimizing the effects of superfortress raids.

Tokyo radio accounts said the 'front building" in the imperial palace grounds was destroyed,

___________________________________

Japs See Tokyo Raid

As Disguised Blessing

By Associated Press

 

NEW YORK, May 28.—A Tokyo broadcast heard by the Associated Press listening post In New York today said that Premier Suzuki, admitting at an extraordinary cabinet meeting that the American raids had caused "considerable damage," urged the respective ministries affected by the raids to emphasize "construction" rather than "reconstruction" in restoring their operations.

"In other words," Suzuki said, "the damage, presently suffered might well prove ablessing in disguise."

___________________________________

 and that several outlying impeial palaces, the foreign, greater east Asia and transportation ministry buildings were in ruins.

The United States, Russian and German embassy buildings and the 'Swedish and Afghanistan legations all were burned down, said the broadcast -heard by the F,C.C.

 

BT Associated Press

GUAM, Sunday, May 27.— American Superfortresses air almost wiped out Tokyo, at a cost of 31 of the big planes in record pre-dawn fire raids

Thursday and Saturday, re ports today disclosed. The last undamaged areas of

the world's third largest city—the government and central businessdistricts—were reported in smoking ruins.

Conflicting broadcasts from Japan indicated the Imperial

________________________________________

 

 

Tokyo Still Blazing

9 Hours After Raid

GUAM, May 27.— While Tokyo radio complained bitterly about the effectiveness

of American firebomb raids, a lone B-29 slipped down through the overcast shrouding- the Japanese capital and saw "very large masses" of fire more than nine hours after Saturday's attack.

__________________________________________

 palace had suffered but there was confusion as to the extent.

The 20th Airforce announced at Washington that 19 B-29s were lost In Saturday's raid, the heaviest toll yet In the missions of the big bombers over Japan.

Twelve were lost in Thursday'! raid.

Some 500 Superfortresses flying from Marianas bases, participated in each raid. They were the largest fleets, of the mighty planes ever put in the air.

 

33 Japanese Vessels

Destroyed or Damaged

By United Press

MANILA, May 27.—American war planes, In new strikes from Shanghai to the Netherlands East Indies, lave destroyed or damaged 33 Japanese ships, while U.S.25th Division troops driving into northeastern Luzon have outflanked the enemy stronghold of Santa Ft, General Douglas Mac Arthur announced Sunday.All the ships were merchant vessels. The heaviest toll in enemy shipping was taken at the south Borneo port of Bandjermasin on the Java Sea, where 20 vessels were sunk or destroyed in a blazing, assault.