CHINESE RESISTANCE TO CONTINUE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 71, 17 December 1937, Page 11

CHINESE RESISTANCE TO CONTINUE

Chiang Kai-shek’s Policy

NATION’S DETERMINATION STRENGTHENED

The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul at Wellington, M-r. Feng Wang, from Hankow, yesterday:— The Generalissimo, Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, in a statement from the field at headquarters, declared that China will continue to resist the Japanese invasion notwithstanding the evacuation from Nanking. The Generalissimo stated :—"The withdrawal from Nanking has no effect upon the Government’s policy in resisting Japanese aggression, but will strengthen the national determination to continue fighting. Since the seat of Government has been moved elsewhere, Nanking has neither political nor military significance. 1, therethe withdrawal of the forces from Nanking to other lines in accordance with my plan to withdraw whenever the enemy's superior armament makes it unnecessary for too great a sacrifice to be made.” The battle for the possession of Nanking commenced on December 5 and lasted nine days in which the defenders made heroic sacrifices and exacted a heavy price from the enemy. Casualties were extremely heavy on both sides. Street fighting lasted till Tuesday at noon, after which the Chinese authorities ordered the withdrawal as all the defence works were destroyed by intensive Japanese bombardment. Chinese mobile units are extremely active behind the Japanese lines on the Yangtse delta. It is reported that the Chinese troops retook Taichang, northeast of Quinsban. JAPANESE GAINS Over 300,000 Square Miles Of Territory

London, December 15.

The Peking correspondent of “The Times” states that the Japanese Army, six months 'after the Lukowchiao incident, is in nominal possession of over 300,000 square miles of Chinese territory in North China, which is comparable with the 363,700 square miles of Manchukuo or the 301,800 square miles of the combined areas of Itaiy and Germany.

This area in North China covers the whole of Hopei, Chahar, and Suiyuan provinces, about half of Shansi, and a fair-sized strip of Shantung, the whole of which will undoubtedly be in Japanese hands before the end of the year. The attitude of the people in North China toward the invasion, the correspondent states, is‘one of philosophic fatalism.