CHINA RALLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 7

CHINA RALLIES.

JAPANESE THRUST FAILS.

CHINESE RUSH TO COUNTER ATTACK.

300,000 TROOPS IN NORTH SHANGHAI.

POSITION TO BE HELD AT ALL COSTS.

(I'nited l're*s Association— Copyright.—TCec. I.3ft p.m.') LONDON, October 2 1. A fierce Japanese thrust north of Shanghai failed. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. Chinese also repulsed an attack on Chapei, which has become a city of concrete catacombs and pillboxes. About 300,000 troops are engaged in the Chinese counteroffensive near the Tazang Road. Big guns and ceaseless columns of C hinese reinforcements pass where dead and wounded are left on the roadside. Coolies carry steel plates for machine-gun positions and engineers are building pillboxes under fire, in obedience to the order to defend Tazang at all costs. But Tazang is only a name. The town has been demolished by artillery and aircraft fire. Japanese tried out nine of the latest type of huge naval bomber in a raid on Nanking, 40 bombs were dropped on the military aerodrome from an altitude of 15,000 feet. Japanese at Peking in Peril. The Shanghai correspondent of the British United Press states that Japan s three main armies are in North China. One is threatening the Shansi province and the others are marching southward from Tientsin. Peking is in peril as the result of blows struck by General Chutes—the Red Napoleon " —commanding the Communist Army. While regulars, provincial levies and guerillas mercilessly harassed the Japanese flanks, the Red Army swooped down from , ,V W "\ int ° Japanese rear and captured Pingshan, which is I JO miles behind the most advanced Japanese troops on the reking-Hankow railway. • t , d ® ta f hrnents alao captured Wantu and Youyung, both far behind the lines, and cut off many Japanese units. This threat to the far rear is relieving the Japanese pressure against Shansi, where Chinese Mohammedans claim to have made advances.