WAR IN CHINA

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1943, Page 5

WAR IN CHINA

Series of Setbacks FOR THE JAPANESE. [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 9.15) LONDON, Nov. 25. The Associated Press correspondent at Chungking reports: Chinese troops completely encircled a newlystrengthened Japanese force outsiae Changteh, after eliminating 5000 enemy troops, who penetrated to the outskirts of Changsha, which is the north-western gateway to Changsna. Japanese reinforcements arrived in the Changteh area on Tuesday. They promptly launched a vigorous infantry attack. Several of the Japanese units reached the outskirts but all were annihilated. (It is reported that four high Japanese commanding officers were Killed in action. Meanwhile Japanese forces are attempting to by-pass Changteh to tfie east to cut a highway to Changsha. They suffered heavy losses. Japanese planes participated in a severe battle in that sector. Chinese troops recaptured a' strategic point. After cutting the important HunanSzechwan supply route south-west of Changteh, Japanese forces drove farther south, but were tffrown .back with heavy losses. . vonT . Attacking the enemy in the tear from the west, Chinese forces recovered more points southwards of the Yangtze River, cutting Japanese communciations a't several points. Great losses were inflicted on Japanese forces around Smvang, a Japanese base in the south oi Hunan Province. cm in DEFENCE OF CHANGTEH. SOLID def c^UNG kING, Nov. 25. Five thousand Japanese were wiped out in a battle for Changteh says the official Chinese announcement. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek issued an order eulogising Changteh s defenders. The Chinese again charged the Japanese _ attacking Changteh with using poison gas. . General Stilwell’s . communique states 1 American medium bombers supporting the Chinese ground forces at Tungting Lake destroyed a number of landing barges and inflicted casualties on Japanese cavalry and infantry The bombers raided Yochow. where ammunition dumps and storage dumps were set on fire.