Russo Jap. Armistice Effective Today; A Long Conference

Northern Advocate, 11 August 1938, Page 7

Russo Jap. Armistice Effective Today; A Long Conference

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

LONDON, August 10,

JT IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT OF THE BRITISH UNITED PRESS THAT M. LITVINOFF AND MR SHIGEMITSU, JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW, AFTER A FOURHOURS’ CONFERENCE, AGREED TO AN ARMISTICE, TO BE EFFECTIVE AS FROM NOON ON THURSDAY, ON THE BASIS OF THE NEW JAPANESE PROPOSAL. Another message from Moscow states that the armistice conditions provide that troops from both sides should keep the territory occupied at midnight on Wednesday, local time, also that Russia and Japan should send representatives to arrange details of the cessation of hostilities. Mr Shigemitsu’s conference with M. Litvinoff opened at 7 p.m. and was suspended at 10 p.m. ) It was resumed at 11 p.m, and ended at midnight. An earlier message stated that fighting raged all last night at Changkufeng. Two battalions of Russians were flung in at 9 p.m., under cover of fierce artillery bombardment, and it it reported they were repulsed after heavy slaughter. The Russians returned to the attack at midnight, freely using hand grenades, and strove until 7 a.m. to-day to dislodge the Japanese from, Hill 52, but dawn revealed that the positions were largely unchanged. Forty-five Soviet aeroplanes bombed Kajo and Keijo, but the damage .was slight. Semi-officially, it is stated that since the outbreak of hostilities the Russians have fired between 25,000 and 30,000 shells, and their aircraft have dropped an incalculable number of bombs.

A Russian Wedge.

Admitting that Soviet soldiers crossed the frontier into Manchukuo, Russia officially announces that the troops forced a wedge in the Changkufeng sector and occupied positions 300 metres across the lines marked on the map of the treaty with China, of 1.868, which ilussia insists Japan must accept as the • frontier, while Japanese occupy Bezymyan Hill, 200 metres inside the Soviet area. The Russians repeatedly repulsed the Japanese attacks. Artillery fire continues. The Tokio representative of “The Times” says the military maintain complete control of the heights at Changkufeng and Shatsaoping, but insists they have not advanced a step into Soviet territory, despite sustained provocation. The Domei News Agency reports that Japan had again protested to Moscow, alleging that Soviet troops crossed the Manchukuo frontier near Tungning, 100 miles north of Shatsaoping, and began trench digging. The Japanese drove them out, killing two.