The Mingo Republican

Japanese Initial Victories Due to Dastardly Surprise Attacks While Envoys Talked Peace With Secretary Hull and President Roosevelt

The inevitable has happened. The United States of America is at war with the axis powers of Japan, Germany, Italy and their allies. Overtly attacked by the Japanese in the usual axis "stab in the back" pattern Sunday with the Pearl Harbor attack, this country promptly declared war on the aggressor.

That the Japanese attack was long premeditated has long since been proven as has the fact that the spread of battle to the Pacific is merely a part of the Nazi blueprint for world domination. The Germans and Italians yesterday fulfilled their promises to Tokyo by declaring war on the United States. This act had been predicted in nationwide utterances by President Roosevelt and many others.

Warfare rages all through the Pacific Ocean, where the Japanese are striking for a knockout blow that will give them complete domination. They have taken heavy toll of British and American naval strength as well as human life in their surprise attacks, but the fact that they are meeting stubborn resistance is borne out by dispatches confirming the sinking of one Japanese battleship. Other Japanese craft including two aircraft carriers have been reported sunk.

Many Japanese warships will no doubt go to the bottom of the ocean in this war without immediate reports on the part of the American navy. The American people are already learning that all that happens in war cannot be published without giving aid or comfort to the enemy in some cases. Therefore, only those instances that do not harm our own position will be reported.

Heaviest blow struck so far was the sinking Wednesday of the British battleship Prince of Wales and cruiser Repulse. Japanese bombers are reported responsible for this defeat.

Such focal points as Singapore, Hongkong, Manila, Guam and Wake Islands are under heavy attack and in many instances they are under siege.

War Brought Home

The war has been brought home to Americans living on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts where blackouts and airraid alarms have been plentiful, although, as yet no planes have flown over or bombed any United States territory on the North American continent.

Air raids on Tokyo have been rumored but none of these rumors have been confirmed. American citizens expecting an immediate report of smashing victories against the Japanese must remember that we were treacherously attacked and have not had time to lay complete plans and make complete maneuvers for any kind of military action.

The President has warned the people of the nation to be ready for long and hard war and there is no doubt that he leads a nation, completely united and capable of striking blow for blow with any enemy.

Two Thousand Rescued

Late news has confirmed the report that more than two thousand of the crew of the Prince of Wales and Repulse have been rescued on British shuttle routes as the sun unwinds unexpected hope after this happened.