War in the skies.
A day of considerable activity on all the war fronts, this January 6th, 1942.
Beginning with Singapore. It has become increasingly certain that a decisive stand must be made soon, and if that fails Singapore will be gravely endangered. Well-informed observers are taking 8 very serious view of Japanese progress. Strategical considerations prevent disclosure of the Allied defenceline, but communiques reveal the Japanese have occupied practically half Malaya and there are no signs progress has been halted. Fall of Kuantan aerodrome is a major setback, because there are no other serviceable airfields in eastern Malaya between Kuantan and Singapore. It is believed the Japanese line runs from Kuantan north-west to a point 30 or 40 miles south of Ipoh, then to Kuala Selangor.
Meanwhile – The War Department reported today that Japan has launched a savage offensive against Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s “steady and valiant” Philippines defenders and has opened a virtual non-stop air bombardment of the fortress of Corregidor. An official U.S. Army communique indicated that the Japanese attack is developing increasing momentum, but it asserted that MacArthur and his men are fighting back cooly and bravely and resisting strongly. A brief lull in land operationsnoted by the War Department yesterday- appeared to be over, and it seemed that Japan is turning on the heat in an effort to smash MacArthur’s strong defense positions in Bataan Province and on the Island of Corregidor. A climax in MacArthur’s stand as gallant a battle as any American has fought since Custer may be approaching. Japanese airpower was carrying the brunt of the intensified assault. The War Department reported that American and Philippines troops in the mountain-studded, jungle-strewn Bataan Peninsula are holding out under a continuous rain of Japanese bombers interspersed with low-flying machine gun strafing. Corregidor, rock-girt island which stands as a powerful bulwark against Japanese use of Manila Bay, underwent another hours-long air bombardment yesterday, the War Department revealed.
And on the European front – New tension is reported In Vichy and Paris following the alleged terrorist raid on the Paris headquarters of the “Death to the Nazi Party” last night, in for which one occupant is reported to have been attacked with razors. The raid followed the death broadcast in which it warned France of the risks of losing not only her European role, but also her Empire, if Vichy continued to evade full collaboration with Germany. Stockholm quotes a report from Paris that a bomb was thrown at the Hotel Montcalm, also at a German bookshop, and caused considerable damage. Some German-occupied shops have been barricaded. It is now revealed that the Vichy Radio announcement of the death of both M. Pucheux and M. Paringault was not official. M. Pucheux, according to Vichy dispatches. is now supervising inquiries into the death of M. Paringault, whose body WAS found lying across a railway line near a village station. The body was cut to pieces. M. Paringault left Troyes on Sunday for Paris where he intended to join M. Pucheux before together returning to Vichy on January 8. M. Paringault was a member of M. Doriot’s Popular (Fascist) Party.
And that’s a little of what happened, this January 6, 1942 as reported by NBC’s News Of The World.
