REGULAR WARFARE NOW

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 269, 10 August 1938, Page 11

REGULAR WARFARE NOW

Soviet Planes Active (Received August 10, 12.15 a.m.) TOKIO, August 9. Fourteen bombers attacked the Japanese lines at Changkufeng and Shatsaoping three times since dawn to-day. The Japanese are manning .the trenches in both areas, grimly awaiting the new Russian onslaught. Only a few hundred yards separate the forces. In No Man’s Land . are strewn ■ bodies, rifles, machine-guns and derelict tanks. Fresh Russian troops arc replacing the main body in the front line, at Changkufeng. Marshal Bluecher has arrived at Novokievsk in order personally to direct operations.

It is reported from Korea that yesterday’s fighting between Soviet and Japanese forces on the Manchukuoan border far exceeded the scope of a frontier incident, inasmuch as it developed into regular positional warfare on a four-mile front, with the strategic hills of Changkufeng' and Shaotsaoping as objectives.

Soviet planes, which are incessantly reconnoitring and raiding the Korean frontier, again bombed Keiko, the damage being negligible. The spokesman said that the Japanese air force has not yet been put into '■ action, as it is undesirable to aggravate the situation. A Russian battalion, supported by artillery, later in the day repeatedly attacked Changkufeng Hill without success. Over a hundred Soviet tanks are now in position facing the Japanese. 'The total Japanese casualties at Changkufeng since the outbreak of the dispute are 120 killed and 330 wounded, and the Russian losses are alleged to be greater. CANTON BOMBED Heavy Casualties Among Refugees (Received August 9, 9.45 p.m.) Hong Kong, August 9. Twenty Japanese aeroplanes bombed Canton this morning. The attack was directed against the power station and the residential district of Saikuan, which had not previously been bombed, and was filled with refugees. The casualties, therefore, were heavy. Leaflets were dropped threatening to bonib the city for 10 consecutive days.