1.
CU Mountbatten (SOF as above)
1.09


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ 1: Mountbatten: "I was enormously impressed by the complete grasp he had of his command And by his confident assertion that even if the Japanese knew his plans nothing could stop their success. For he knew the exact strength of the Japanese and their homeland, and he was certain of complete ultimate victory. I had no doubt that his confidence was not misplaced, and that he would have succeeded to the full, as he had forecast, but for the sudden surrender of Japan after the atomic bombs. His achievements in the Southwest Pacific are on record for all time. He was a great General and a great personality. One of the most outstanding men I've ever had the privilege of knowing and working with. We're all of us the poorer for his loss."




Initials DS/V/RM/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Britain's Defence Supremo, Earl Mountabatten, today (Monday) paid tribute to the late General Douglas MacArthur who died in New York yesterday at the age of 84.

Earl Mountbatten commanded the adjoining theatre of war to General MacArthur, who was Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia, and their combined strategy helped bring about the defeat of the Japanese in the Far East.

Of his former colleague, Earl Mountbatten said: