FURIOUS STRIFE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 9

FURIOUS STRIFE

BATTLE BEFORE NANKING

DRIVE ON CHINA’S CAPITAL

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

Received December 8, 9.15 a.m

TOKIO, Dec. T

The Japanese forces, having occupied all the strategic positions in the suburbs, began a general attack against Nanking this morning. The city is now surrounded by smoke.

A later message states that a furious battle is raging before the city. The Japanese have reached the walls of the city, while the main army is ready for the final attack. v

The Chinese troops, who are hurriedly evacuating Nanking and crossing the river in junks, are setting fire to buildings as they retreat. ,

The Domei Agency expresses the opinion that Japan is likely to break off diplomatic relations with China after the fall of Nanking, which will reduce Marshal Ghiang Kai-shek s Government to the status of a local Administration.

Marshal Kai-shek has left Nanking and is believed to have gone to Nanchang, the capital of the province of Kiangsi.

formal entry, which will mark the first occupation of invading foreigners throughout the city’s long history. Other reports affirm that military and naval aerial forces carried out a ) combined attack on Nanking and Wuhu to-day. Over ninety ’planes for two hours carried out the most intensive bombing the capital has thus far been subjected to, although it has suffered 119 previous bombardments, with the view of completing the demoralisation of tlje defenders, whose resistance has collapsed. Provincial troops whose lines were securely held when Marshal Ghiang Kai-shek inspected them yesterday have now retreated through the three crack divisions assigned to the defence of the city. An Imperial headquarters announcement from Tokio states that tho Japanese are converging on Nanking, the morning being taken up with strategically-important positions in the suburbs for storming the walled city, including Thihsiashan, 11 miles north-east of the capital, Tsiglungslian, five miles southward, and Fangshan, 10 miles south-east of the capital. All foreigners, except newspapermen, have fled from the capital. A Japanese column planted the Rising Sun flag on Purple Mountain, but the artillery refrained from bombarding the late Dr Sun Yat Sen’s mausoleum. Another detachment, within three miles, began shelling Nanking, while Pukow was again bombed, and two huge fires are blazing. The correspondent of the British United Press at Shanghai states that the principal Japanese .thrust appears to be coming from Kuyung. The feebleness of the Chinese resistance outside Nanking creates the impression that General Chiang Kai-shek will leave the invaders an empty shell, reserving his forces for later activities. NEW CHINESE ARMY.

Meanwhile, South China is reported to be raising a new fourth army of 15,000, composed of Communists from Fukien, Kiangsi, Hunan, and Hupeh, under General Yell Ting.

■ Nanking reports that seventeen Japanese war 'planes raided the city this afternoon, making power dives over the Pukow terminus of the Peking railway on the opposite side of the Yangtse-kiang, and bombing Pukow and the riverfront. Nine war ’planes returned and set fire to buildings on the riverfront. Only a few launches and junks and a number of gunboats occupied the stream. The reported capture by the Japanese of the Purple Mountain, overlooking Nanking, is not confirmed. The Japanese Cabinet is arranging for the Imperial Council, under the presidency of the Emperor, to consider its policy toward Britain and America, and also whether Japan shall refrain from recognising the Chinese Government, leave China independent, or declare war, says the Tokio correspondent of the Times.

A Shanghai message states that Admiral Little protested to Admiral Hnsegawa against the bombing of British ships at Wuhu. The Consul-Gen-eral supported the protest.