Chinese Turn Jap. Defeat into Rout

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1943, Page 5

Chinese Turn Jap. Defeat into Rout

(Rec. 11 a.m.) CHUNGKING, December 15. The Chinese have made further important gains in the “Rice Bowl” region. A Chinese communique states that- Chinese forces have reached the suburbs o£ three major Japanese-occupied .towns. Lihsicn. Ansiang' and Nanhsien. Japanese remnants east of Linli are being wiped out, and Chinese'forces are tightening the ring around enemy remnants south of Itu, a Yangtse River port below Ichang. Powerful Chinese forces, supported by aircraft, transformed the Japanese retreat from Changteh into a rout. A Chinese communique triumphantly told of sweeping successes of troops carrying on a great encircling manoeuvre against the Japanese betw'een the Lin and Yangtse. Rivers. By Sunday morning the enemy was completely routed. The Chinese are inflicting innumerable casualties and regaining strategic centres lost during the Japanese march into the “Rice Bowl" a month ago. Carried on by this momentum, Chinese troops are now surging near the more important goals of Lihsien, Japanese stronghold on the Lin River, and Ansiang, Nanhsien and Tingshih, all north of Tungting Lake. The communique said enemy units lurking in the environs of Changteh were completely liquidated, and other remnants further north wet'6 also destroyed.