Word: borneo
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...comprising the Philippines and The Netherlands Indies, was also partially blanketed-by the three-way pact. The pact was largely directed at the U. S., and in Washington it was believed that an extension of the U. S. embargo to cover oil would mean an immediate Japanese move on Borneo, Sumatra and Java...
...were superimposed on the map overleaf it would just about cover the area shown. Roughly Rangoon would correspond to Seattle, Guam to Boston, Sumatra to Southern California, and Florida to New Guinea. The distance from the Japanese naval base on Hainan to the heart of Borneo approximates the air distance from Fargo, N. Dak. to New Orleans, and the distance from Singapore to Manila that from Salt Lake City to Detroit...
After these preliminaries, the Japanese may easily attack the relatively unprotected Netherlands islands of Borneo and Celebes, boring down through the Strait of Macassar to take Tarakan, Balikpapan, Macassar. The Netherlanders have long anticipated such an attack. The Borneo oil ports have been mined and studded with artillery for several months, and oil wells outside both Tarakan and Balikpapan have been prepared for firing. Borneo refineries have been moved to Palembang on Sumatra. For about a year secret airfields have been under construction...
...attack on Borneo were successful, the Japanese would hope to be well supplied with fuel for the major drive-on Java, then on Sumatra, and finally, from both north and south, on Singapore. Netherlands Sumatra and Java would be the first really tough nuts to crack. The naval and air base at Surabaya is sheltered by Madura Island, and both approaches are mined. The Netherlands East Indies Squadron consists of close to 100 surface craft, and although the waters are so clear that submarines might as well be in fishbowls except at night, there are over 18 modern submarines based...
Behind all Mr. Quezon's dance steps was the threat of Japan, crouching 1,300 nautical miles north, her horn-rimmed eyes on British and Dutch Borneo and Australia, one nostril delicately cocked at the Philippines. A Japanese once remarked to a Filipino politician in Manila: "If we invade you it will only be to teach you that you are not occidentals." As Mr. Quezon well knows, Japan would not even have to make a military invasion. Quezon's islands would drop like ripe fruit. Japanese farmers already have a strong foothold in the archipelago, and Philippine independence...