Bringing down another 59 machines un Tuesday, Japanese forces operating on the Manchoukuo border against the Outer Mongolian-Soviet troops now claim to have brought down, since the beginning of the hostilities in the Lake Buir region, 691 aeroplanes, or about the total of Royal Air Force first line defence up to a couple of years ago. Soviet estimates of course, do not agree on this total and admit a more modest figure with a proportionately larger destruction of Japanese machines to indicate that the Soviet air force is still superior. Undoubtedly, there has been unusual destruction of aircraft in these encounters which in other circumstances would be considered. a first-class war, but clear cut definitions are impossible in this part of the world where propaganda exceeds, in some cases, military effort. The claims made to these amazing successes is probably explained by the plausible acceptance in Japanese newspapers. One newspaper, referring to the recent brief visit of foreign correspondents to points far removed from the front, states:
On arriving in Hailar, they first asked the Japanese army authorities whether or not the announcements of the Kwantung garrison on the convincing victory of Japan in air duels are true. They would have imagined that there should be heaps of Soviet aircraft along the border if the Kwantung garrison announcements were true.
The Japanese army authorities led them through the Hulumbair plain on trucks, When they saw the endless expanse of grassy fields, they saw why not a single Soviet plane shot down could be seen. Another question they asked was whether the reported number of Soviet craft shot down has been exaggerated. This question was also easily solved when the Japanese army leaders explained that the Japanese are modest and never wish to get undue credit.
It is in the publication and obvious belief of such statements as this wherein lies that particular frame of mind which makes such extravagant claims easy to create. None of the correspondents who visited Hailar appears to have accepted the explanation as unhesitatingly as this newspaper statement tries to make out.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.