China War Enters Fifth Year

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 161, 9 July 1941, Page 5

China War Enters Fifth Year

JAPAN’S FRUSTRATION LONDON, July 7. China' and Japan to-day began th« fifth year of their war. Chinese leader* marked the occasion with the statement that the China war could no longer be distinguished from the European Avar; Japanese newspapers used the occasion for an attack on the United States for the aid which has been given to China. The Chinese leader, General Chiang Kai-shek, in a war anniversary message to friendly Powers, said: “The European and Asiatic wars have become a single conflict in Avhich those opposed to aggression are resisting the aggreshor nations." He issued & warnin that no nation could escape the conflict, as the aggressors Avere planning to dominate the world by force, and said that the outcome of the conflict would depend on the efficiency Avith vrhich those opposed to aggression combined their efforts. “Hence," the general added, “the strength of the Asiatic, American, and European democracies roust be developed to the utmost through close co-operation. ’ ’ He expressed the thanks of the Chinese for British, American and Russian aid, and promised that the Chinese would firmly hold the front. The Chungking correspondent of the New York Times says it is authoritatively stated that Russia has assured China that the hostilities with Germany will not halt Soviet military supplies. The Soviet is anxious to speed up Chinese deliveries of tungsten. In Tokio. the fourth anniversary the outbreak • of the China affair was marked by a vigorous and almost unanimous Press attack on {be United States. The newspapers said that Japan was determined to defeat China despite United States encirclement. The Hochi Shimbun advised the Government to pay less attention to the Russian -German war and to concentrate its efforts on counteracting American and British manoeuA'res in the Pacific.

The Chinese Minister of War, General Ho Ying-chin, claimed that Japanese causalties in the year ended on March 31 were 336.000 killed and wounded. During the last four years, he said, Japanese killed and wounded had numbered 1,994,260. and prisoners 24,082. General Ho said that the Japanese had lost 12.322 tanks and armoured

cars, 1838 field gunF. 7888 machineguns, 2054 planes, and 2650 air force personnel killed. China’s only reverse last' year was the loss of Foochow, he said.