Giant Convoy of 69 Japanese Slips

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 30, 5 February 1942, Page 5

Giant Convoy of 69 Japanese Slips

CHINESE FORESEE FURTHER THRUST AT BURMA CHUNGKING, Feb. 3. The Chinese Army spokesman revealed to-day tha a huge Japanese convoy of 69 ships, comprising 41 warships and transports carrying an entire division, had been sighted steaming south of Formosa Strait. The spokesman said the Japanese were making thorough preparations for a drive into Burma from Northern Thailand. The Japanese would concentrate at Chiengmai. The spokesman said that, in the past ten days, the East China railways had been busily moving Japanese troops from Inner Mongolia and North China to Tsingtao, where several divisions were concentrated awaiting transport. He added that an enormous number of Japanese troops, including tank and artillery divisions, were concentrated in the (Shanghai area. The Chinese Government spokesman said that the Chinese troops in Burma would soon be in contact with the J apanese. He expressed satisfaction at the recent reassurances of Mr. Churchill, President Roosevelt, and Colonel Knox that the importance of the Pacific front had not been overlooked, and expressed the opinion that, even if the United States took a year to drive out the Japanese from strategic bases, China could easily ride the storm. “We have enough American arms and equipment to tax our transportation to capacity for at least a year," he said.