World: Mutual Neutralization

"I do not think the Japanese will attempt a full occupation of Australia."

It was not an Australian who said this last week, not a U.S. guesser. It was a burly man-without-a-country, Hubertus J. van Mook, who had been Lieutenant Governor of the Dutch East Indies. He was in Melbourne, where Douglas MacArthur was training a joint force of Australians and Americans for come-what-might.

Dr. van Mook was of the opinion that an open assault on Australia would be very risky because of the extended lines of communication and problems of transport. He thought the Japanese might merely try to neutralize Australia as...

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