australia, new zealand, the dutch indies, india, the near east, and the continent of africa, with their resources of raw materials, and of peoples determined to resist axis domination. look too at north americad south america. it is obvious what would happen if all of these great reservoirs of power were cut off from each other either by enemy action or by self-imposed isolation: first, in such a case, we could no longer send aid of any kind to china--to the brave people who, for nearly five years, have withstood japanese assault, destroyed hundreds of thousands of japanese soldiers and vast quantities of japanese war munitions. it is essential that we help china in her magnificent defense and in her inevitable counteroffensive--for that is one important element in the ultimate defeat of japan. second, if we lost communication with the southwest pacific, all of that area, including australia and new zealand and the dutch indies, would fall under japanese domination. japan in such a case could release great numbers of ships and men to launch attacks on a large scale against the coasts of the western hemisphere-south america and central america, and north america-including alaska. at the same