ACCELERATED PACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 February 1947, Page 7

ACCELERATED PACE

CIVIL WAR ACTIVITIES IN CHINA GOVERNMENT- STRATEGY (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 4. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek made another inspection trip by air to the war front to-day, says the Associated Press Nanking correspondent. Chiang’s personal interest in the civil war activities has emphasised the accelerating pace of hostilities since General Marshall left China. It appears that Government leaders allowed information to leak out that they feared a Communist attack on Hsuchow in order to mask their own preparations to sweep through the Red positions in Shantung, northern Kiangsu and Honan. If such a campaign succeeds the Governments’ positions will be strengthened around Pekin, Tientsin and Tsingtao. Informed sources said the Shantung campaign is a prelude to fullscale fighting, which is expected to develop on all fronts, excepting Manchuria, as soon as the spring weather permits. Meanwhile Government victories have been reported along the TatungPuchow railway in Shansi province, and sporadic fighting continues in Hopeh province. Communists have made guerrilla forays over a wide area within 25 miles of Pekin, They also destroyed power lines «in the Tangshaw coal mining area, 60 miles north-east of Tientsin.