Puppet Garrisons Relieve Japs in China

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 85, 10 April 1943, Page 5

Puppet Garrisons Relieve Japs in China

ALTERED STRATEGY GIVES GREATER MOBILITY. Received Friday 7.30 p.m. CHUNGKING, April 8. The Japanese have altered their strategy in China and are garrisoning minor points with puppets in order to concentrate their own forces on major positions. Explaining this to a press conference the Chinese Army spokesman said the Japanese have thus acquired greater mobility for operations which might develop. Tie spokesman said the enemy’s strength on the whole was unchanged in China, namely, thirty divisions. He reported that fighting occurred in the past week in the Hupeh, Honan, Yunnan, Kwangtung, Anhwei, Chekiang, Shansi and Shantung provinces. But all the clashes were of a minor character. The Japanese unsuccessfully attempted to outflank the Chinese across the Yangtse south-west of Shansi. Enemy thrusts north and westward of Sinyan: were turned back. Further clashes occur red in Yunnan near the Burma frontier wherein a large number of the enemy were killed and all the thrusts thrown back. The Central News reports that as from March Ist, the Japanese halved the food ration of 6.4 ounces of rice and flour daily to 3.2 of the non-belligerent nationals at Hongkong and advised them to depart voluntarily.