SEVERE DEFEAT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 142, 17 May 1941, Page 7

SEVERE DEFEAT

JAPANESE ARMY. DISASTER IN HUPEH. (10 a.m.) CHUNGKING, May 16. A Central News report states that the Japanese have suffered a disastrous defeat in the Hupeh Province. Ten thousand have been killed or captured during ten days’ fighting. It is claimed that the Japanese have been driven back to their base in Western Hupeh. Iroin where the offensive liegan on May 5. According to a Reuter message, the Chinese military spokesman said that the big battle raging now in China will have ail important effect on the Cliinese-Japanese war. The Japanese have thrown in strong forces in an attempt to mop up the Chinese troops in the mountains dominating the Yellow River, and have cut the Chinese forces into two groups. The western group was being hard pressed, but the eastern group was holding its position in the mountains. There wore no signs yet that the Japanese had crossed the Yellow River. JAPANESE POLICY. (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) TOKIO. May 3 6.! The iniormation Board spokesman (Mr Ishii) said Mr Matsuoka (Foreign! M inister) and the Japanese Minister j to Nanking (Mr Hoda) had reached i an agreement on the China policy, both favouring the bolstering cf the Nanking Government and also rejecting third-Power mediation, including the United States and Germany, relative to the Sino-Japaocso hostilities.