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Sumatra

The Pacific Story · July 15, 1945 · 30 min · 4,013 words

The transcript of “Sumatra”, an episode of The Pacific Story first broadcast July 15, 1945. Press a time to play from that line (a 60-second preview; Potato Plus plays it all). The Pacific Story plays The Pacific Story free, live around the clock. Search inside this transcript.

Machine transcript (may contain errors).

Transcript

The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present the Pacific Story. In the mounting fury of world conflict, the events in the Pacific are taking on ever greater importance. Here is the story of the Pacific and the millions of people who live around this greatest sea.

The drama of the peoples whose destiny is a stake in the Pacific War. Here, as another public service, it's the tale of the war in the Pacific and its meaning to us and to the generations to come.

Sumatra return to the Indies. Bombs are dropped only on important places. They are falling on the great island of Sumatra these days.

That one fell on Sivan. That one fell on Pajak. That one fell on Madam. And those fell on Palamak. All these are important places. They are the leading cities of Sumatra that make Sumatra important.

And since the good many of the bombs falling on Sumatra are British, This British here might be able to give us a hint of what's in the wind. Occupation of Sumatra would aid greatly in any attempt to secure Singapore.

They've got their eyes on Singapore, just across the Straits of Malacca from Sumatra. Sumatra, as you know, forms the western shore of the Straits of Malacca. Yes. So of course the Straits of Malacca cannot be used until a good part of Sumatra is secured.

The Straits of Malacca are between Singapore and Sumatra. And Sumatra would provide us excellent basis for attacks against the Japanese in Malaya, and in Singapore. So Singapore is the objective. For Singapore is not only strategic value, but all of prestige value.

But Sumatra is the key to Singapore, and Sumatra is a formidable island. Not because of its military installations, but because of its character. Sumatra is almost exactly the size of your California. This is a Dutchman.

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