Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Friday 22 September 1950, page 1


THE JUNGLE ROAD TO TOKYO

NEW YORK, Thursday

A memorable narrative of the land campaign against Japan from New Guinea to Tokyo is due for publication to-morrow in Lieut.-General Robert Eichel-berger's memoirs "Our Jungle Road to Tokyo."

He has stripped war of all its gloss and glory with a profound understanding of the combat

troops.

He is generous in praise of the courageous men and graphic in his descriptions of the dangers which the Australian and Ameri-can forces faced.

He fulsomely praises Austra-lian Wirraway pilots who, until they were all shot down, provid-ed his only aerial reconnaissance.

General Eichelberger, after the early American disasters in the

New Guinea campaign, was sent to replace Major-General E. F. Harding.

General MacArthur's words rang in his cars: "Bob, I am put-ting you in command at Buna. Relieve Harding and remove all officers who won't fight. If neces-sary put Sergeants in charge of battalions, and corporals in charge of companies -- anyone who will fight. Time is the

essence."

General MacArthur's parting shot was "Bob, I want you to take Buna or not come back

alive."

General Eichclbergcr's narra-tive began in August 1942 when he flew to Rockhampton to take charge of the U.S. 1st Corps, comprising two division in Sir John Laveruck's 1st Australian

Army. He found "Yanks and Aussies restive in fraternal

bonds" in their efforts to achieve

fealty to a unified command.

He said that though he was everywhere received courteously, he detected "rivalries, animiosi-ties and mutual suspicions behind the clasped hands of Allied mili-tary friendship."

General MacArthur, he said, had asked for key American officers to assist the Australians with staff work.

"The Australians didn't think they needed much help from any-one," he said. "Many of the commanders I met had already been in combat in North Africa and though they were usually too polite to say so, considered the Americans to be at best inexperi-

enced theorists."