Chinese Reds Sweeping South: Reported Fall Of Kuchen: 140,000 Trapped

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22808, 1 December 1948, Page 7

Chinese Reds Sweeping South: Reported Fall Of Kuchen: 140,000 Trapped

. i t .Z.P.A. l'euter— Copyright.) (I !.15-a.m.) NANKING, Nov. 30. Reports from the Central China battiefronts today indicated that the Communist -Forces are sweeping southward, isolating or by-passing large Rational troop concentrations. One report said that Kuchen, a railway town 150 miles north-west of Nanking, fell to Red troops as they widened their net around 140,000 trapped Nationalist troops.

The encircled forces were being bombarded by Communist radio appeals to surrender.

An official dispatch from the northern front said that General Chiang Kaishek’s armies recaptured Paotow, the inner Mongolian rail terminus 320 miles west of Peking. Chinese Government headquarters also said that planes inflicted heavy casualties on Communist convoys moving southward through the Jehol Province.

Reuter’s correspondent reports that the Nationalist headquarters in Central China have been moved from Hsuchow to Pengpu. One Nationalist Army has been left to garrison Hsuchow while the remainder of the forces deployed in the area is now driving southwards towards Suhsien in an endeavour to join in the Pengpu battle. With the ominously deteriorating situation, the prospects of a negotiated peace with the Communists are again being discussed in Nanking. The promised Cabinet line-up by the Premier, Dr.- Sun Fo, has failed to arouse any popular interest among the general public. Nearly 500 more American evacuees sailed from Shanghai today. The evacuation of American Embassy and Consular personnel at Nanking and Shanghai to Manila by air will begin on Thursday.