Chinese Encircle 30,000 Japs: Desperate Fighting On Wide Front

Northern Advocate, 30 March 1938, Page 5

Chinese Encircle 30,000 Japs: Desperate Fighting On Wide Front

• (Received 2.30 p.nv.) HANKOW, March 29. ! /THIRTY THOUSAND MECHANISED TROOPS, CUT OFF FROM THE r ; REAR, ARE MAKING A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE i ENCIRCLING CHINESE. FIGHTING CONTINUES ON A 50-MILE V'■ FRONT FROM LINCHENG TO TAIERCHWANG, WHERE THERE IS EVERY POSSIBILITY THAT THE JAPANESE WILL BE ENGULFED. :v ; >The Chinese report further successes on a wide front. Chinese guerilla fighters captured Hohsien in North-West China, while General Chanchan’s forces have recovered Sarachi City, in Inner Mongolia, where the 4000 troops of the Puppet State have surrendered. : . ■ , ■ ■ ■ * I The Chinese also claim the recapture of Tawnkou, cutting off the communications of the Japanese advancing towards Hsuchow. i The Chinese have begun an pffen sive south-east of-*' Shantung, causing ’ the Japanese to withdraw to Chahsien. The Chinese Commander-in-Chief cn the Tientsln-Pukow railway sector telephoned to Marshal Chian,g Kai-sh?k tint the Chinese had completely .‘. routed the Japanese and their reinforced trccps and were at present adV vanciirg along the whole railway front.

> Terrific Slaughter Claim. The Japanese claim to have Inflicted terrific slaughter upon the Chinese in the Shantung and Shansi provinces, cays the Peking correspondent of ‘■The Times.” General Li Ying, vicecommander of the partisan Army of the Central Government, is reported to have surrendered Linhsien. The Shanghai correspondent of “The Times” says the Japanese Army spokesman largely rejects the Chinese claim, saying that the villages which the Chinese entered were strategically abandoned, but the invaders undoubtedly lost the initiative. Hankow messages give credit for the Chinese successes to Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, who returned by ’plane from various fronts, where, he directed the counter-offensive. The Japanese admit that the Chinese crossed the Yellow River in North Honan. .

Rival Claims/ A message from Shanghai states that the reinforced eight divisions of Japanese claim that they are fighting back furiously north of the TientsinPukow railway, but the Chinese claim that they are holding ail the positions they have won. Fighting raged throughout the night and all villages within 100 square miles have been wiped off the map. British military authorities in Shanghai have strongly protested to the Japanese Commander-in-Chief, General Shunrutu Hata, against the recent behaviour of the military police, who continue to threaten officers and sentries with firearms at the British Defence Sector. Britons have been instructed in the future to take suitable action in the event of being struck or threatened.