Sunday, August 4, 2013

August 4, 1945; Gen.mDouglas MacArthur's INVASION PLANS WIDENED"

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, AUGUST 4, 1945:



RACINE, WIS., SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 4, 1945.

 
Captive Shows
More Fatigue;
Petain Dozes

PARIS.—(AP)—Pierre Laval testified today that the Germans ordered both him and Marshal Petain to speak out against the Allies' 1942 landings in north Africa, and contended they were forced to obey. Reminded by the judge in Petain's treason trial that the old marshal "sent certain messages which he ought not to have sent." Laval said: "Petain was not free. He was ordered by the Germans to send those messages. I also was instructed to speak publicly on the subject The Germans. . . told me it was no real protest"

 

By HERBERT G. KING
PARIS.—(UP)— Pierre Laval testified today that he refused to sign a military alliance with Germany on the day the Allies invaded north Africa.

Laval slouched into court at 1:15 p. m. and five minutes later opened his testimony for the second day in the treason trial of Marshal Henri Philippe Petain.

 

Plans Drawn
For Anglo-U. S.
Drive on Nippon

By HUGH CRUMPLER
MANILA—(U.P.) — Command ofOkinawa and the entire Ryukyu Island chain was shifted from Adm. Chester W. Nimitz to Gen.mDouglas MacArthur today in preparation for the forthcoming invasion of Japan.

"With the Philippines, these islands form a great semi-circular base from which a mighty invasion force is being formed under the primary responsibility of General MacArthur for the final conquest of Japan," MacArthur's headquarters said.

The announcement said that all army forces in the Ryukyus with the single exception of Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle's 8th Air Force now were under MacArthur's direct control, 13th Air Force included.

These include Gen. Joseph (Vinegar Joe) Stilwell's 10th Army, conquerors of Okinawa, and Gen. George C. Kenney's 5th and 7th Air Forces. The 13th Air Force will come under MacArthur's command as soon as it reaches the Ryukyus from the south Pacific.

In addition, MacArthur's overall command includes the 6th and 8th Armies and other air force unit's in the Philippines.

 

Jap Fliers Hit Bac
As U.S. Girds to Strike

By WILLIAM F. TYREE
GUAM.—(U.P.)— Japanese planes have begun to hit back again at American forces massing for an invasion of the enemy homeland, it was revealed today.

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announced that the Japanese sank an American light naval unit and damaged another off Okinawa early Sunday and sent 20 fighters against American planes raiding the Tokyo area yesterday. The naval units sunk and damaged presumably were destroyers or destroyer escorts.

The Japanese opposition marked the first time in 10 days or more that the enemy has mustered sufficient strength to challenge African air domination. The two warships probably were hit by enemy suicide planes. Mustangs Meet Opposition. Ninety-seven Iwo-based Mustangs were intercepted by 10 Japanese fighters during a bombing and strafing raid on the Tokyo area yesterday. The Americans shot down two enemy planes and damaged a third. The Mustangs also destroyed or damaged 14 Japanese planes on the ground, wrecked 20 locomotives, 50 railway cars, two medium-sized ships, eight to 10 luggers and two fishing boats. Japanese anti-aircraft fire downed six Mustangs and damaged five. One pilot was rescued.

 

Hospital Ship
Revealed Fake

MANILA—(U.P)—An Allied naval boarding party discovered arms', ammunition and faked "wounded" aboard a Japanese hospital ship, Gen. Douglas MacArthur announced today. The ship is being brought into an Allied port for further examination.

It was boarded Friday in the Banda Sea north of Dutch Timor "in the course of routine by an Allied naval force from blockading vessels of the 7th fleet,"

MacArthur's headquarters said.mUnauthorized contraband found aboard by the original searching party was said to include 23 heavy machineguns, 15 light machineguns, an undetermined number of .75 millimeter shells and quantities of other ammunition.

The shells were packed in boxes marked "Hospital Supplies," headquarters said.

Also aboard were 1,500 Japanese listed as patients. Examination of bandages of some "patients" showed no wounds, however.

 

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