Chinese Holding Reds' Onslaught On Shanghai Approaches

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22940, 7 May 1949, Page 5

Chinese Holding Reds ' Onslaught On Shanghai Approaches

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright.)

(11 a.m.) SHANGHAI, May 6. A determined Communist bid to capture Shanghai —the richest prize of the civil war—appeared imminent today.

* Stepping up their attempts to I crack the northern and southern ends of the strongly fortified and manned Nationalist 230-mile long line guarding the approaches to China’s financial and economic nerve formidable Communist columns were reported to be concentrating on attacking Taichong and Kashing.

Taichong. also known as Taitsang. is 30 miles north-west of Shanghai and Kashing is 60 miles south-west. Late today strong Nationalist armies, bolstered by newly arrived Americantrained troops from Taiwan Island, were reported to be still holding both points, despite increasing Communist pressure. Simultaneously, Communist forces were today reported to be increasing pressure on the western end of the Nationalist defence line running along the Chekiang-Kiangsi railway line. The situation in several towns with which the Nationalists have lost contact is described as obscure. It reported serious fighting, especially at both northern and southern ends of the line. The communique claimed that an attack by 5000 Reds near Taichong. 30 miles north-west of Shanghai, was repulsed at dawn today. Sixty miles north-west of Shanghai, Red units attacked a Nationalist airfield in the southern outskirts of Kashing simultaneously with assaults by other units against Government positions north and west of the city. The communique described as obscure the situation in the strategic ChekiangKiangsi railway cities of Changshan, Yushan and Shangjoa onthe border of the Chekiang and Kiangsi Provinces, following a swoop by 4000 Communists.