JAPANESE OPERATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 200, 24 August 1937, Page 7

JAPANESE OPERATIONS.

CHINESE STRATEGIC RETREAT. PREPARATIONS FOR DECISIVE BATTLE. THOUSANDS OF REINFORCEMENTS LANDING. (United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 11 a.m.) SHANGHAI, August 23. The Japanese military spokesman announces that the Japanese are contemplating a mass attack. The Chinese determinedly withstood the Japanese after the landings at Liuho and Woosung, which Japanese warships covered, firing 500 heavy shells. The Chinese awaited the invaders at a dozen different points along the riverside and engaged in close-quarter fighting for hours before falling back, after which the Japanese established field headquarters in Wenchaopang railway station with the intention of relieving the hard-pressed sailors and marines in the front line. Japanese suffered severely at Liuho and Woosung, but captured the terminus of a military road from Woosung to Yangtsepoo. The Chinese announce their strategic retirement to defensive positions for a decisive battle to relieve Japanese pressure on Shanghai. The Japanese on the other hand hope to smash the Chinese before they can perform this strategic withdrawal. A large party of Chinese marines landed at Tsingtao and occupied positions in order to resist a possible Japanese landing. Mixed Chinese forces, estimated at 25,000, are enclosing the city and constructing fortifications. Incidents in Shanghai include a bomb striking the roof next door to Hamilton House, temporary headquarters of the British Consulate, tearing through three floors and starting a fire, which was extinguished. Passengers aboard the Shanghai Maru saw Japanese soldiers on a riverside wharf shoot, bayonet and toss into the Whangpoo inTerr 1 ' Hng Chinese who were probably captured ™n™ n i inten9e arti . ,l ! r y duel marked the successful landing of 50,000 Japanese remforcements. A Japanese spokesman said In view of the provocative Chinese attitude we have a chance now to dea a decisive blow before there is any possibility of %tttes?&x* hope the sha - hai — ■- The Japanese assert that they faced seven Chinese divisions four of wh,ch belonged to the first line, in this mornings general attack, which has not affected the Japanese lines anywhere n«,;tiT!!\ Id f UmO V S " tUrned from Woosung and taken up a new position half a mile downstream from the Japanese Consulate.