The Pittsburgh Press (March 24, 1943)
Editorial: Japan’s advantage
The first friction in many months between Japan and Russia is only one factor in a rapidly developing Far Eastern situation. It is time for another enemy offensive. And the general setup is favorable to Japan – because most Allied strength is concentrated on the other side of the world.
Japan may or may not try to blitz Siberia, probably not. But either way, Russian policy will influence the direction of the next Tokyo drive. America has a big stake in the result.
The immediate Moscow-Tokyo friction is over the sinking of the Soviet freighter Kola last month in the East China Sea. Tokyo says the torpedo was from an American submarine, which Moscow does not believe.
Hitherto both governments have postponed a showdown in the ancient Russo-Jap conflict. Russia, with hands full fighting the Nazi invader, has avoided the Pacific War. Japan has been too busy conquering Southeast Asia and half the Pacific to grab maritime Siberia. But both governments have kept huge forces on the frontier, for a war that might start any minute.
The situation is better for a Jap attack now than any time since December 1941. Again, Russia is hard pressed in the west and exposed to a stab on the back. The Siberian winter is about over. Japan, by holding Rabaul in the South Pacific, Kiska in the North Pacific, and her mid-Pacific island screen, has kept U.S. forces far from her home shores. With Gen. Wavell’s failure to develop a Burma offensive and six months of rain soon due, Japan is fairly safe from that direction. And the beginning of her spring drive in China has been successful.
In contrast to Japan’s overall strategic advantage, the United States has only one hand free to hit Japan – and is getting no effective help there from Britain or Russia. That is dangerous. It allows Japan to consolidate her vast territorial gains, and to keep the initiative for new offensives.
This should be an urgent subject for the current American-British-Russian discussions in Washington.