CHINA & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1937, Page 5

CHINA & JAPAN

JAP. THREAT

TO WIPE OUT NANKINC, (United Press Association —By Electric' Telegraph—Copyright). NANKING, September 19. The Japanese threatened to destroy Nanking by air bombing, attacking “in the most serious way in order to conclude hostilities as early .is possible. by destroying China's cliiel war base.’’ This is the first, such warning in history. It represents an attempt to reach a decision by bombing the capital out of existence, a development which is most dreaded and against which the nations have built up huge air forces and defensive preparations. U S.A. MARINES LANDED. SHANGHAI. September 19. Fourteen thousand and thirty-live American marines were landed from the San Diego, commanded by Briga-dier-General Beaumont, including an anti-aircraft- company ol 139 men and fifty guns, CHINESE RETREAT. ON NORTHERN FRONTS. PEKIN, September 19. Failing to envelop the Chinese forces south ot Pekin, the Japanese armies, after establishing headquarters at Chochow are pressing along the Pekin-Paolingfu railway, towards Paoting, the chief Chinese base in North China, from which the invaders are forty miles distant.

Troops under Nanking control, having, according to Japanese accounts, lost ten to twentv thousand effective men, though still numbering forty thousand, arc making a fighting retreat towards Paotingfu. Sixty thousand additional Chinese are retreating cross country towards Paotingfu. after escaping the Japanese lett wing, which quagmires delayed. The Japanese admit limited success in the encirclement, but contend that they shattered the Chinese forces. In northern Shan-i immediately north of the Great Wall, the Japanese occupied Hunyuan. Chinese iorees in this province are preparing strong deleaves inside the Great Wall, where -> major engagement is imminent.

Japanese further north west, invaded Suiyuau and also took Fengchcn. Tin* bait 1 » tor Cho'-liow cost Chinese six thousand dead. The Japanese lack facilities for 1 ceding prisoners, arid are therefore disarming and liberating those surrendering, which accounts for the few prisoners reported.

BRITAIN PERTURBED. OVER THREAT TO NANKING. (Received this day at 10.-to a.m.) LONDON, September 20. The Australian Associated Press understands Britain is considerin<r a protest against the Japanese threat to wipe out Nanking, which so far lias not been conveyed officially to Britain. The Government is most perturbed over the safety of three hundred nationals, although the British Kmbassv lias taken safety measures. 'flu* Chinese have built extensive, dug out to shelter non combatants. admirals refuse. TO SHIFT THEIR WARSHIPS. (Received this day at 10. Jo a.in.) SHANGHAI, September 20. Admirals Little and Libigot, commanding the English and French Asiatic fleets, rejected a Japanese request to move their warships upstream from Nanking, adding that the Japanese would he held responsible for the kill*iug of English or French nationals. Adiniial Yarnelf informed the Japanese that United States warships must remain at Nanking while Americans were there. He asked that airmen avoiu Ilia shipsNANKING BOMBED. FOUR RAIDS IN 24 HOURS. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) SHANGHAI, September 20. The Japanese twice bombed Nanking to-day making lour raids in twentyfour hours. They dropped hundreds or bombs and great damage is reported. JAPS PROGRESS. PUSHING CHINESE BACK. —— . p _ (Received this day at 10.45 a.m.) TOKIO, September -oThe Japanese claim they are pressing on in North China and have occupied Hinglio. an important strategic centre. South West of Suiyunn, are consolidating their positions on the Tientsin-Pukow railway, and are attacking the Chinese at Hangchow and Tacheng the latter of which is on the eve of capture. Japanese in South China are hotly pursuing the Chinese and have occupied Kucheng, 25 miles tiom Paotingfu, RUSSIAN PROTEST. AGAINST JAPANESE ATTACKS. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) MOSCOW. September 20. Russia is "strongly protesting to Japafy against attacks on the staff of the Russian Embassy in lokio. including the wives of two of the members^ , who were insulted.

CREW ACQUITTED. (Received this day at 2 p.m.) HONGKONG. September 20. Twenty-three members of tin* crew of the steamer, Sovernleigh, were acquitted, as asking for a bonus is not a criminal offence. NANKING’S FEARS JAPAN’S POSSIBILITIF.S (Received this day at 1.30 a.m.) NANKING, September 20. With their fears accentuated by the preiiniim. r v bombing, N auking awaits what may be the most terrible air raid the world lias ever known, in which three hundred war planes are expected to participate, only fifty fewer than those performing in the mass formation flight at Hendon air display in June. Japanese, though undertaking to conserve foreign interests as far as possible. decline to assume the responsibility which foreign powers seek to place upon them for the safety of foreigners remaining in the citv. Foreign attaches say Japan can blow Nanking with its one million inhabitants off the Ilian.

Chinese militarists, despite their limitations of anti- aircraft defence, scoff at the threat oi utter destruction. in view of the ineffectiveness of the nrnl">nin *>»-v raids, hut it must be remembered that Japan’s plans fontemj plate the employment of five-fold the i number of planes hitherto used out- ! numbering the Chinese aircraft by* ten \ to one.