Radio Tokyo – News For March 2, 1942 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Reports from the English service of Radio Tokyo this 2nd day of March, told of sweeping Japanese victories throughout the Pacific. Japanese forces landing on Java and advancing quickly to the interior of Java Island. Reports from the front told of a virtually unopposed assault made with lightning speed. Despite heavy rains, the invading force moved rapidly, while the army landing on the eastern part of Java were experiencing heavy resistance but succeeded in driving off some 500 members of the Dutch Army defending the island. Reports of casualties, according to Tokyo were seven wounded and none dead.
In other parts of the Pacific. Reports that Japanese bombers had swept over the Solomon Islands, while Australian air forces were busy handling assaults on several fronts in addition to the Solomons. Radio Tokyo reported Japanese pilots destroyed two Australian planes and had bombed several supply ships in the area. Reports went on to say two additional planes were brought down over Batavia. Batavia was also the scene of several Japanese night-bombing attacks, striking numerous military establishments there.
As of this report, Radio Tokyo made it clear that the Dutch East Indies were going to fall into Japanese hands much sooner than expected and that the Japanese Air Force was superior in strength and numbers in practically all areas of the Pacific.
As is the case with all these broadcasts, the Japanese played up their own victories and the eminent demise of the British and American forces, with virtually no loss to the Japanese forces they were engaged in. The primary function of the English language transmissions was not only to demoralize the Allies but to play up military strengths in an effort to cause the Allies to give up and quit. Although American and Australian news accounts varied greatly than what Tokyo was reporting, there were various grains of truth in what was being reported by the Japanese. Australia was deeply fearful of what it considered to be an impending invasion and America was still getting up to speed and in the midst of re-organizing it’s military force – a point Radio Tokyo made clear to emphasize.
And the war was, for all intents and purposes, just getting underway.
And that’s how Radio Tokyo was looking at the war in the Pacific, this March 2, 1942.
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