Heavy Nationalist Losses In Confused Fighting

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1948, Page 5

Heavy Nationalist Losses In Confused Fighting

CHINA

NANKING, Wed. (11.30 a.m.) —In the confused Central China fighting the Nationalists are reported to have lost 60,000 men in the Yungcheng area. One of three army groups from Hsuchow trying to break through to the southward has been practically destroyed. Another Nationalist force which has been encircled father south smashed through to the eastward and re-established contact with the Nationalists advancing northward from Pengpu.

According to unconfirmed Chinese reports, the Communists evacuated Hsuchow and the city is badly in need of relief.

Airlines are preparing to drop rice supplies from the air and reconnoitre the airfield.

In North China the Communists are gradually and systematically closing in on the shrinking Nationalist territorv.

Skirmishes have been reported around Tungcliow, only 12 miles east of Peiping.

Reuters. Shanghai correspondent says that the city is now much calmer with the expected arival of United States Marines.

One informed American source said GOO Marines would shortly arrive from Tsingtao.

They would be kept aboard transports anchored in the Whangpoo River as otherwise they would require the prior approval of the Chinese Government to billet them ashore.

The Marines would be landed in the event of emergency and the breakdown of law enforcement machinery

when there, would be no need for Chinese approval. A Hongkong report says President Chiang recently told, close followers that if he failed in the war against the Communists he would commit suicide before.Dr Sun Yat-sen‘s monument in Nanking. Remnants totalling about 20.000 men are left out of Nationalist General Sun Yuan Liang’s army group v'hich has been cut to pieces in the Honan-Anhwei-Kiangsu border region during the past few days, reliable sources said tonight. Sun, who is reported to have suffered losses totalling 60.000. was attacked nerth-west of Suikikow. half way between Hsuchow' and Yungcheng. Sun was trying to join the other two Nationalist army groups who are strongly hemmed in by Reds northeast of Suikikow. The remnants have now' made contact.

The total Nationalist force in the area stretching from Suikikow' to the Tientsin-Pukow railway, is estimated in the vicinity of 130.000 men. They are encircled by a large but undisclosed number of Red columns,