CHINESE CIVIL WAR

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 172, 21 April 1928, Page 11

CHINESE CIVIL WAR

NORTHERN FORCES SUFFER SEVERE DEFEAT COMPLETE ARMY ANNIHILATED JAPANESE “INTERFERENCE” RESENTED The Chinese Northern forces have suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Southerners, a complete army being annihilated. The sending of Japanese troops is resented, and there are threats of reprisal. (United Press Association. — By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Service.) Shanghai, April 19. The latest reports indicate die most severe defeat that Sun Chuan Fang has ever had at the hands of the Southern forces, entailing the annihilation of one complete army, involving a loss of about 50,000 men in casualties and prisoners. The Southerners lost 20,000. Sun was endeavouring to reach the rear of Chiang Kai-shek’s army, and left his flank insufficiently protected, whereupon Feng Yu-Hsiang cut Sun’s communications, enforcing the rereat of the whole Northern forces, by which a promising plan, of campaign crumpled up. Coincident with the reports of the heavy defeat of Sun Chuan Fang in Shantung, under the determined onslaught of Feng Yu-Hsiang, the Japanese have decided to dispatch five thousand troops to Tsingtao, in addition t& a naval landing party. The news lias had a decided repercussion at Shanghai, where the Chinese are indignant at alleged interference in the civil war, and are threatening the usual boycott and reprisal. ANXIETY IN PEKING (Australian Press Association.) Shanghai, April 19. The latest reports from the Shantung battle fronts indicate that the fierce fighting in the vicinity of Tsining between the forces of the “Christian General” Feng ’ Yu-Hsiang and Sun Chuan Fang, the former MilitaryGovernor of Shanghai, favours the former. Nationalist forces from Nanking are pressing northward to aid. Feng, while Chang Tso-lin is rushing Fengtien troops southward to reinforce Sun Chuan Fang and stem the Southerners’ . advance. Peking residents are displaying restlessness and anxiety. Five thousand Japanese troops have been ordered from Kumamoto, neat Nagasaki, to proceed to Tsingtao, Shantung, in readiness to proceed inland to protect Japanese residents in Tsinan, owing to the serious development in the’ Chinese war situation.Three companies of Japanese troops are proceeding immediately from Tientsin, and “several warships from the Japanese squadron cruising in Chinese waters have, been detached, with orders from Tokio to proceed to Tsingtao to provide landing parties for the protection of the Tsingtao Japanese in emergency. Japan’s move has aroused protests by the local vernacular Press. THE JAPANESE EXPEDITION BITTER DEBATE IN DIET EXPECTED (United Service.) Tokio, April 19. To-day the Foreign Office, in a statement, emphasises that Japanese forces are being sent to Shantung solely to protect Japanese lives and property, as there are 12,500 Japanese m Shantung. . . ... A Cabinet council is considering the situation to-day, in view of the possible serious effect in domestic politics. The Diet will meet to-morrow, and" it will be necessary to submit the expenses .of the Shantung expedition as a special item in the Supplementary, Budget immediately. A bitter debate is expected, since the Premier has already been severely criticised because of the Communist raids and the recent political murders. INTERVENTION SUGGESTION REPUDIATED (Rec. April 20, 9 p.m.) Tokio, April 20. At the opening of Parliament the patties are: Seivukai, 221; Minseito, 217. Hajime Motoda was elected Speaker. The Government issued to-day an official statement that the Expedition Emergency Measure is necessary for the protection of the lives and property of 16,000 Japanese in Shantung, and repudiating the suggestion of intervention between the Southern and Northern Chinese.