SHANGHAI BOMBARDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 40, 16 August 1937, Page 9

SHANGHAI BOMBARDED

CITY'S DESPERATE SITUATION

UNPRECEDENTED CARNAGE IN INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SHANGHAI, August 15. Fierce fighting between the Japanese and Chinese forces has broken out in Shanghai. The Japanese warships opened a heavy bombardment, and retaliation by Chinese aeroplanes has precipitated a desperate situation for the residents of the city.^ The International Settlement is a scene of unprecedented carnage as the result of Chinese bombs falling in it. The Japanese are maintaining an artillery bombardment from the north, and the city is surrounded by well-equipped Chinese troops, who are pressinw onward in an advance so far unimpeded by the Japanese fire.

The Japanese warships heavily 'bombarded the Woosung forts. Fires broke out all along the Paoshan road, where Japanese shells fell. Before the Japanese bombardment, Chinese aeroplanes unsuccessfully tried to bomb the Japanese flagship Idzumo, which was moored opposite the Japanese Consulate. The Japanese squadron's anti-aircraft guns firing in retaliation literally rocked the city. The raiders escaped." Chinese refugees became madly panic-stricken, wailing: "There is no end to our woes." On the other hand, grim-faced Japanese muttered: "Now it is war." A raid against the barracks at the Japanese headquarters also failed. Fighting went on throughout the night in driving rain on the northern border of the International Settlement. Two British warehouses caught fire. The Japanese occupied all the international areas north of Soochow Creek and closed the bridges spanning it, thus cutting off the stream of refugees. During the air. raid, Japanese, armed with clubs, and including women, smashed the street lamps In the Hongkew district. British police-frustrated Chinese looters. DISTRESS OF CHINESE. . Many Chinese houses have hoisted British and other flags in the hope that they will afford protection. Many Chinese are offering to sell their babies for as low as 3s a head to foreigners in, the hope that they may escape death. Protection is being organised for children separated from their parents. The foreign consuls are making further efforts to bring about a truce. Eight Japanese warships are reported to have blocked up the Wangpoo River. The Chinese claim advances on both wings in an attack on the Japanese cotton mills in north-east Shanghai which, if it is followed up by stronger forces, will place the outnumbered Japanese in a difficult position. The Japanese on the .north Szechuan Road are unable to use their armoured cars for fear of devastating their own settlement. , JAPANESE MAY ATTACK NANKING. The Japanese are protesting against •aerial violation at the International Settlement and threaten reprisals. They have hinted that they may bomb Nanking. Admiral Hasegawa's order to the Chinese to depart from the neighbourhood of Chinese military establishments is.interpreted as a prelude to a Japanese naval bombardment of Nan-, king. Pandemonium was renewed when a second attempt was made by three planes to bomb the Idzumo. The Nanking Government has proclaimed martial law in Shanghai and Nanking, and in'the Shanghai and Hankow railway zones. CARNAGE IN FOREIGN SETTLEMENT. The International Settlement, which hitherto has been regarded as a refuge, has been the scene of havoc and carnage hitherto unexampled. The police report, that the bomb explosions in the densely packed area of the Avenue Edward VII and the Nanking Road killed 82S and wounded 1003. The wounded included two English officials and many Europeans. Misjudged Chinese bombs caused a shambles at the junction of the Nanking Road and the Avenue Edward VII. A, number of foreigners are among the casualties, including several British and Americans. The body of Dr. Hawjinson, a prominent American missionary, was found in. a shattered motor-car. The lives of the entire foreign population were endangered as the bombers passed over and anti-air-craft shells screamed over the International Settlement. Foreigners and Chinese are lying side by side in ghastly heaps. At least 1000 have been killed. The lighting system has been destroyed, and the darkness is hampering relief work. The matron of the Shanghai hospital says the wards are so filled with foreign victims that it is impossible-to check the names*. A bomb hit the British-owned Asiatic Petroleum Company's stores, i

the flames lighting up the sky at night. British sailors and marines were landed to assist the soldiers in the Settlement, and police .are patrolling the British defence sector. Fifty French were landed from the cruiser Lamotte v Picquet' and marched to the barracks in the French concession. v The artillery duel continued after nightfall. JAPANESE PREPARATIONS. An official Chinese statement declares that, ignoring the pledges to seek a settlement of Monday's incident through diplomatic channels, Japan is feverishly precipitating major hostilities. The Japanese Admiral still insists that he is acting in self defence, and has ignored the representations of European authorities asking for the withdrawal of the Japanese warships. Mistaking her for a Japanese cruiser, Chinese airmen bombed but missed the British warship Cumberland near Woosung. . , , Chinese aeroplanes are reported to have frustrated an attempt to land Japanese marines from the warships in the Yangtse estuary. Admiral Hasegawa rejected a suggestion by the captain of the British warship Danae to remove the Idumo to a position less dangerous to the International Settlement on acocunt of the Chinese making air-bombing raids. Admiral Hasegawa said Japan could not change the position of her warships unless the neutrals gave" guarantees for the protection of Japanese life and property equal to that provided by the warships. Mrs. Eleanor Eoosevelt, daughter-in-law of the late Theodore Boosevelt, appealed to Madame Kai-shek, wife of the Chinese Commander-in-Chief, to use her influence to stop the bombing of Shanghai at least until the safety of foreigners and refugees was assured. NIGHTMARE RENEWED. A Japanese official announcement states that Japanese infantry entrenched on the Jukon Koad and in the Chapei district repulsed a Chinese attack, which was later renewed, and also repulsed an attack on the Japanese general"headquarter 3 at Hongkew Park. ■ The .nightmare, took a fresh lease^of life when the gunners on both sides swelled the death-roll of Shanghais metropolis by relentlessly poundmg each other's positions. Typhoon winds and drenching rain have been sweeping the city. The Japanese war machine is functioning relentlessly, maintaining an artillery bombardment from the north of ' the station and driving hundreds into the settlement from the north side of Soochow Creek. Several persons have been trampled to death m the mad stampede. A • hundred panicstricken persons were caught between the Chinese and Japanese forces and faced a storm of, machine-gun bullets. When at last a lull occurred ambulances went out to succour the wounded and dying. Three huge fires are still lighting up the murky sky and the streets are almost deserted, and all places of business and amusement are closed. British subjects, in accordance with orders, have evacuated the settlement, north of Soochow Creek. British and French sailors were landed and rushed by lorry to the defensive areas. CHINESE ADVANCE. The apprehensiveness of the Japanese attackers can be appreciated when it is known that they have not checked the slow but apparently unimpeded advance of the Chinese forces from the north-east and the north. Japanese official announcements admit that these are pressing on strongly and that Chinese shells have caused fires within the Japanese lines. The Japanese are replying to the Chinese thrust with all the available artillery, machine-guns, and armoured cars. Europeans, fearing further Chinese air raids, are spending the night in cellars. The city's situation .seems desperate, surrounded as it i/ by well-armed Chinese troops anxious to avenge themselves for previous humiliations at the hands of the Japanese. General Chiang Kai-shek's crack

87th Division has taken up positions. ( in the Kiangwan section and other i Chinese troops are being rushed up to Shanghai. The Japanese are hopelessly outnumbered, and are awaiting reinforcements before attempting to advance. . ' . . FOREIGN POWERS PROTEST, A message from Nanking says that the British, French, and American representatives are protesting to China against the bombing of the International Settlement. The Chinese are investigating the • situation. General Chiang Kai-shek promised that he would punish Chinese air pilots if he found that their bombing of the Settlement was due to careless marksmanship. A report'from Tsingtao says that the Japanese blame Chinese and the Chinese blame Japanese for the shooting of .the two Japanese sailors on August 9, to which a Japanese statement ascribed the present situation. According to the Japanese version they were members of a patrol of five men who were shot at by a Chinese cyclist, with the result that a petty officer was wounded. The party pursued the cyclist,- who fired again,' fatally wounding a sailor. The Japanese are guarding the scene of the incident with drawn revolvers. The British, American, and-Japanese Consuls are investigating the incident. The Chinese say that the Japanese sailors were wounded by a Japanese reservist whom they were trying to arrest.