August 3, 1945: MINES BLOCKADE ALL OF JAPAN:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY,  AUGUST 3, 1945:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1945. TWENTY-FOUR PAGES PRICE FIVE CENTS'

Major China

Offensive
Expected

By the Associated Press

The expectation of major fighting on the Asiatic continent was voiced Friday by Leut. Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer, U. S. commander in China. Such a campaign, he said, would be supported by the American-trained, American-equipped Chinese forces who did so well in the reconquest of northern Burma.

INVASION SEEN

Other Chinese-forces are being  coached in the U. S. style of warfare by American cadres, ultimate goal, Wedemeyer said, is the reopening of coastal ports to supply Chinese troops. Presumably this would involve an American landing on the China coast.

 

U. S. Fleet Set

For Landing,
Japs Say

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3.—

Five hundred U. S. warships. Including battleships and cruisers were recently concentrated in the Okinawa area the newspaper Yo miuri was quoted today byradio Tokyo.

The Tokyo dally warned that as even as early as next month." If an Invasion is attempted before 1946, the daily editorialized, the U. S. will be able to mount only 40 divisions.

America's invasion potential is limited by military manpower resources now in the Pacific, by the question of shipping mid by the experiences and hazards of such amphibious operation!

 

B-29 Mines

Blockade
All Japan

GUAM, Aug. 3— (AP)--Mine-laying superforts have established a complete blockade of Japan, the 20^th air force said  today.

Every major harbor of Japan and Korea has been sown with airborne mines forcing Japan to dip heavily into home stockpiles of supplies.

An air force spokesman estimated Japan is receiving less than half of the raw materials and food necessary lo carry on the war.

TEMPORARY CHANNELS

The bomber command spokesman conceded that by these methods the Nips were-able to open up temporary -channels, making it necessary for the B-29s to go back at frequent intervals and again pollute the waters with floating destruction.

Summing up Japan's desperate situation, headquarters announced that enemy shipping had been reduced

to -a shadow." ------

GIGANTIC SCALE

Mining operations on the greatest scale ever attempted began March 27, a spokesman said in a frank disclosure of the great program.

At that time Japan had complete access to her shipping lanes and the great industrial cities at southem Honshu depended upon water transportation for 75 per cent of the movements of all goods .

With the Okinawa landing planned for April 1, the Superforts spread tile lethal weapons by parachute throughout the vital Shimonoseki straits, the great ports of Kurc, Hiroshima, Tokayama and the naval base of Sasebo. Most of the Jap fleet was tied to the bases preventing quick movements to Interfere with the U. S. landing operations. 

Russian Role

In Japan Still
A Mystery

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.—m—A master plan for reconstructing a peaceful Europe out of the ruins of war emerged today from the decisions of the Big Three conference, at Potsdam. But Russia's rote in the conflict with Japan remains cloaked in the same secrecy as ever.

The plan provides for a stripped down Germany, shorn of territories, wealth and power. The nation that once aspired the world dominion ins

Further Details on. Pages 4-A

And  6-A.
______________________________________________________

to be limited to ' farming- and "peaceful, domestic industries."

And it is to be subjected to years of Allied control until it earns its way slowly back into the family of sovereign nations,

The plan provides also for a .reshaped Poland, augmented by huge slices of Germany and stretching westward to within 80 miles of Berlin, and for the addition to Russia of one-third of the territory of German East Prussia.

 

*************************