According to Plan

Last week the Japanese steadily unfolded their plan to: 1) complete the conquest of China; 2) eliminate China as a base for U.S. assault on Tokyo's home islands; 3) immunize Japan's new "Co-Prosperity Sphere" from harassment and blockade by sea.

By simultaneous attacks along the coast of Chekiang Province, the Japs closed one of China's last channels for smuggled goods and braced themselves for a final effort to drive the Chinese from coastal Fukien Province. With Fukien would go the best remaining bases in China for air attack on Japan. The Japanese also stabbed at interior Hunan with a double aim: to take an area valuable to Chiang Kai-shek's armies, to extend Jap control of eastern China's railways.

The grab for railroads was part of a great imperial scheme. Temptingly within reach of the Japanese is the chance to establish a continuous rail line from Shanghai 3,800 miles southwest to Singapore.

Last fortnight the Japs took the last Chinese gap in one section of this route (Hangchow to Nanchang). Last week they reached for the railway between Nanchang and Chuchow, which in turn joins lines to Kwangsi, Indo-China, Siam and Malaya.

Conquest alone will not achieve this rail belt, and thus lessen Japan's dependence on her vulnerable sea communications. Japan will have to complete the chain with at least 600 miles of new railway. Furthermore, any Shanghai-Singapore route will be workable and safe from Allied air attack only if interior China is conquered. But the prospective rewards for Japan are great. Forestalling them is one job for the new U.S. Air Force in China, one that will take more planes than the U.S. had in China last week.

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