Armament Tells

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6794, 27 February 1932, Page 7

Armament Tells

Invaders Blast Their Way Through

CHINESE RETREAT IN

ORDER. San Francisco Press Broadcast. SHANGHAI, Feb. 26. Spirited artillery duels marked the Chapei-Hong Kew front this morning, preparatory to what may be a Japanese left flank attack to complete the “crusher” offensive which turned the Chinese flank in the Kiangwan Miachangchen sector yesterday. The Japanese early to-day claimed complete envelopment of both Kiangwan and Miachangchen, leaving both towns behind their advancing front lines although still, filled with Chinese snipers. The battle for Kiangwan and Miachangchen was long and Hcree. After holding the towns, for five days against Japan’s frontal attacks, the Chinese were forced out by the encircling movement. A Chinese counter-attack, furious but; short, resulted in pushing back the Japanese lines almost to the original positions, but reinforcements, comprising troops from other sectors, finally brought the Japanese victory, according to General Kenkichi Uyeda’s official communique. With the Japanese consolidating their Kiangwan-Miachang-ch-en positions, their heavy guns in Hong Kew park pounded the Chinese Chapei lines continually this morning. The Chinese blasted back with howitzers and trench mortars, attempting to reach the communication roads on which Japanese reinforcements and shock troops are being returned to the Chapei front. Military roads, bridging the swamps north of the Hong Kew park batteries, were full of Japanese troops and artillery being moved to the Miachangchen sector on the right and the Chapei lines on the left, north of the International Settlement.

The superior Japanese armaments, artillery and weight of explosives from airplanes told heavily on Thursday against the • rifles, machine-guns and hand grenades of the iron-will-ed Chinese defenders between Kiangwan and Miach'angchen after forty airplanes raided 250pound bombs into the Chinese front line positions between Kiangwan and Miachangchen for hours, the Japanese infantry and tank attacks made their gains despite the counter-attack. Reports that the Chinese Nineteenth Route Army opened fire on the retreating 57th. and 88t.h. Chinese divisions, General Chiang Kai Slick’s "own,” were discredited, since the fighting was so even most of the day that it never reached a point, at which the Chinese retreated in disorderly fashion. Growing Casualty List.

Casualties on both sides were reported heavier than any day since the Japanese offensive began last Saturday. More than 500 Chinese wounded were brought into Settlement hospitals, and the dead are said to total three times that amount. Japanese casualties were estimated unofficially at between 800 and 1000 killed and wounded. New Traditions Created. The stern defence of Kiangwan in the past six days has created new traditions for the Chinese army. The men were under constant fire at all hours, but held to their positions, their fox-hole machine-gun emplacements, until only superior numbers and equipment, combined with Japan’s aerial raids, beat them back.

Because they belittle the value of a Chinese army, greatly inferior in modern armaments, the Japanese communiques are stressing Nippon’s victories. Neutral circles comment that the Japanese, to whom knightly chivalry has always been attributed, have not once said a word in recognition of gallant Chinese army fighting against enormous superiority.

The Japanese claim advances of 1200 metres in a westerly direction, the northern column, en-

veloping Miachangchen and leaving the place full of Chinese snipers, and proceeding westwards, while the conquerors of Kiangwan are pushing on in the direction of Tazang, forming part of the general movement around the north end of the Chinese defenders.

Argyll’s Relieve Americans. Three hundred grimy-faced, unshaved and tired American soldiers of the Thirty-First Infantry came out of the International Settlement defence lines this afternoon after fifteen days in front of shell-torn Chapci. Their eyes were bloodshot and swollen from lack of sleep. They were replaced in the most dangerous position within the Settlement lines by the Scottish Argyll and Sutherland kilted "ladies from hell.” -