GOVERNMENT FORCES WITHDRAW BEFORE CHINESE COMMUNISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1947, Page 5

GOVERNMENT FORCES WITHDRAW BEFORE CHINESE COMMUNISTS

(Rec 12.45 p.m.) NANKING, November 13. ; Though street fighting has been racing for the past three days in Shihchiachtian the Nationalist. main forces have evacuated the city, according to General Teng Wen Yi, the Government military spokesman. Ten rt said the Government withdrew the force a few days ago for strategic reasons, leaving two regiments to fight a rearguard action. / He added that the Government forces, numbering 10,000, were overwhelmed by more than 100,000 Communists. and he held out little hope of the defenders being relieved. He admitted that the Government casualties were over 6000, but claimed that the Communists suffered more. The Government forces in Manchuria have succeeded ‘in effecting a junction between Changchun and Kirin. The Nationalists have recaptured Kowchein, 15 miles' south of Kirin. Reports from Yulin, in northern Shensi, say Government troops launched a strong counter-attack and succeeded in breaking the 20-day-old piece. A Government spokesman claimed that the Communist attack on the city had failed.