Japan's weakness
Media
Part of Panorama
- Title
- Japan's weakness
- Language
- English
- Source
- Panorama 4 (5) May 1939
- Year
- 1939
- Subject
- Japan--History
- Rights
-
- Abstract
- Condensed from. Pravda, Moscow (Parade)
- Fulltext
- l!A Russian view ofJAPAN'S WEAKNESS FROM the manner in which Japan pursues the war in China, we see that Japanese troop movements are highly mechanical. The main force is often concentrated at a given point. The Japanese often adopt encircling movements to dislodge the Chinese troops from their positions. They very rarely launch a frontal attack. In the course of the war, the Japanese have been very thoroughly and efficiently trained in offensive warfare and night attacks. The motorized units and the cavalry can cover 25 miles a day and the infantry 18 miles. The Japanese troops, however, are not good at hand-tohand fighting, in which the Chinese excel. It is generally known that Japanese troops cannot withstand the onslaught of the Chinese in a bayonet charge. A battle was fought at Tsining last year along the banks of the Grand Canal. It was a close-quarter fight in which no weapon except the sword and the bayonet was of much use. Very soon after the fighting began Japanese soldiers were seen to take to their heels, leaving behind more than 2,000 dead and wounded. All Japanese units despatched 8 to China are equipped with tanks, engineering corps and aeroplanes. In all these equipments China has nothing to speak of. Yet the Chinese troops have not suffered from loss of courage, but on the contrary, exhibited admirable and surprising strength, dealing the "Imperial Army" severe blows. Japanese commanding officers have underestimated the fighting strength of the poorlyequipped and ill-trained Chinese troops, and as a result often commit great strategic blunders. Had their antagonist been stronger, the consequence of this mistake would certainly be even more serious. It is only necessary to point out a few examples to illustrate our point: the areas occupied by the Japanese troops are not sufficiently garrisoned. Only a limited number of troops are available for distribution along the main lines of communication. Defensive measures at the rear are also inadequate. As to the actual number of troops which Japan could command, the figures given out by foreign papers vary considerably. The statistics given below are taken from Chinese, British and French sources, which may be regarded as cornPANORAMA paratively reliable. Up to December 31, 1938, the Japanese Army comprised 1,200,000 troops, 4,500 heavy guns, 1,800 tanks and 2,000 aeroplanes. The majority-some 80 per cent---of the Japanese troops is drawn from the peasant class, while the officers are mostly military men by profession, landlords and people belonging to the wealthy class. In the present China War, the Japanese show themselves badly lacking in morality. Massacres, rapes, robberies and other excesses perpetrated in occupied areas are irrefutable evidences of the low standard of discipline. Japanese officers co~ nive at the lawlessness of their men by way of giving them a Roman holiday. The foreign papers have frequently reported the presence of anti-war sentiments among the Japanese troops. Often there are some small units which openly refuse to obey orders to move to the front. Of course, these mutineers are immediately shot. On several occasions in Shanghai and Nanking, batche-s of men were sent back to the rear on account of their "reactionary" activities. Many Japanese sol diets have been demoted on this score. Japanese naval officers are having a hard time of it on account of the sailors refusing to obey orders. In Japan, many people pretend illness or suddenly disappear so as to evade conscription. In Kyushu a band of reservists who had been called up for service mutinied because they opposed the war. Cases of suicide are mounting. Men under arms take to drinking and opium-smoking so as to forget the war. Indeed, we can predict further deterioration in the morale of· Japanese troops as the war drags on.-Condensed from. Pravda, Moscow (Parade). [){issabfe (Yzordics THE Nordic mouth is superior to any other kind. Inasmuch as red is an attractive colour in itself, the clear redness of the Nordic mouth exudes a great power of attraction, and awakens a desire for conquest and for kisses. As a matter of fact the Nordic mouth simply calls for a kiss. The non-Nordic mouth, on the other hand, with its thick open lips manifests sexual desire, and, accompanied by a wild, evil and sarcastic loo!{, makes cne think only of orgies.Herman Gauch, Genna;i Prcfessor, in Racial Research. MAY, 1939 9
- pages
- 8-9