WAR IN CHINA

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1943, Page 5

WAR IN CHINA

Enemy Setback (Rec. 7.50.) CHUNGKING, March 23. To-day’s Chinese communique says. Chinese forces recovered most of the heighths around Hwajung, in Hupeh province, and at present are attacking enemy forces inside the city, where fighting is going on. Severe, but inconclusive, fighting continues in the ' Hupeh-Honan border area, south of the Yangtse River. Chinese forces repulsed two Japanese columns that were driving north from Kwanchowan. A Chinese ' communique in Western Yunnan Province revealed that two thousand Japanese reached the west bank of the Salween River on March 12. They were repulsed by Chinese defenders on the east bank, aided by Chinese guerrillas, who attacked the Japanese in the rear., CHI N ESE. CAPTURE TOWNS. (Rec. 11.10.) CHUNGKING, Mar. 24. A Chinese communique stated: Chinese forces are gaining the upperhand in the Hupeh-Hunan area, recapturing three towns south of the Yangtse and two northwards. In the meantime fighting continues with unabated fury in Southern Hupeh, where Chinese forces are battling to save rich ricefields around the Tungting Lake. CHINA’S STAYING POWER. CHUNGKING, March 23. The “China Central News’’ quoted an unnamed commander in the Western Yunnan Province for the statement. that “China can hold out for a hundred years, even without the reonening of the Burma Road, which • would be necessary for a quick termination of the war.’’ The commander, the paper described as one of China’s most brilliant soldiers of the entire war. QUESTION OF USING GAS. (Rec. 11.0.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 24. President Roosevelt told a press conference he would check up on reports from Chungking that Japan again used poison gas. It is recalled that the President last June threatened retaliation in kind if the Japanese resorted to gas warfare. Tokio radio has charged the Chungking Army Command with spreading the reports of gas in order to camouflage its own intentions to use gas as a means of evading the Japanese strong offensive.