Editorial: Halsey’s warning
The Battle of Iwo Island will be very tough, but not as bad as Tarawa because we have learned a lot since then. That is the judgment of Adm. Halsey, just back in Washington after his spectacular series of victories in the Far Pacific. Few, if any, can speak with greater authority in that field.
In addition to his comment on the big battle now raging over the key air bases within 750 miles of Tokyo, the naval hero had a great deal to say about the Pacific war in general and the nature of the Japs in particular. Apart from the swearing, name-calling fireworks with which he decorates his interviews – a blustering technique unlike the sober effectiveness with which he fights and wins his battles – he has much wisdom to give us.
According to Adm. Halsey, the Japs are going to attempt peace feelers to save themselves this time and prepare for another war. They will try to undermine our determination for complete victory and unconditional surrender. That will be the point of greatest danger. This is how he figures it:
The industrialists in Japan undoubtedly see that their empire, which has taken them a great many years to build up, is rapidly getting in position where it is going to crumble absolutely. When they can get the upper hand… they will take over, and begin to put out very attractive peace feelers… They will appeal to mothers of men who are out there now.
Naturally, the mother wants her son saved, and may not think that by doing that she is sending her grandson and his grandson to death. If we negotiate peace and don’t demand unconditional surrender, we will be committing the greatest crime in our history.
He added that “we had better keep our fleet after victory.”
The peace feelers, predicted by the Admiral, have already begun. Only last week, Tokyo said the Foreign Minister would not “reject any hand offering peace.”
So far, there is no disposition in this country to fall into a negotiated peace trap. But Adm. Halsey’s warning won’t hurt us. We cannot be too alert in a war for survival.