JAPANESE ATTACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 10 September 1937, Page 5

JAPANESE ATTACK

FIERCEST OF CAMPAIGN ENEMY 15051 BED OVER WIDE AREA CHINESE FAIL TO RECOVER LOST GROUND 111 uiteil I’resH A«snciaiion- U.v blerme Tulegranil -Copy ritfl.it) (Received 10th September, 9.55 a.m.) SHANGHAI. 9th September. Two hours of fighting at dusk cast of Yangtscpoo, ending in the repulse of the Chinese and their repulse at Lotien, were the only over-night incidents. The contestants appear to be holding their main original positions. | The Japanese intensified their air operations from an aerodrome established near the University, paying special attention to the civic centre arsenal at Kiangwan. Having paralysed Chinese shipping, including banning night traffic on the Canton River the Japanese are expected next to assail the Canton-llankow railway, the main north to south link. A Japanese destroyer stopped the British steamer Fooslumg off Amoy, examined her papers, and apologised. The Japanese attack to-day was described as the fiercest of the campaign. The Chinese counter-attacked but failed to recover tha losses The Japanese are bombing the enemy over a wide area The Japanese have proclaimed the triangle Shanghai-Hankow-Nanking a danger zone for bombing, declaring i that the only safe transit is by sea, j which they control.

FIGHTING AT NANKOW PASS

DEFEATED CHINESE BEING PURSUED LONDON, 9th September. The Japanese are pursuing the Chinese who were defeated in Nanlcow Pass, and are now within thirty-five miles of Tatung. They have also occupied Tienchcn, sixty miles south of Kalgan. Meanwhile the Yellow river is overflowing and has interrupted Chinese communications between the Hopei front and the rear, putting the important aerodrome of Tengchow out of action and rendering transportation of war material impossible.

ADVANCE NORTHWARD

JAPANESE HELD UP (Received 9th September, 1.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, 9th September. The Japanese are still unable to advance northward, despite continuous attempts, while they were driven back from the Jukong wharf, which they hitherto had held for a week until naval guns forced the pursuing Chinese to shelter behind an embankment on the military road.

HEAVY CASUALTIES

JAPANESE AIR FORCE CHINESE LINES MAINTAINED lliv Telegraph Press Apsne.iationl I WELLINGTON, This Day. The Chinese consul received the following cablegram from Nanking. The National Aeronautical Affairs Commission has released official figures of the Japanese planes brought down by the Chinese air forces in the provinces of Chekiang, Kiangsu and Anhwei between 14th and 31st August. The figures show that 29 heavy bombers, 24 light bombers, 5 pursuit planes, and 3 seaplanes, totalling 61, were shot down. It also revealed that the Chinese authorities have already buried 81 dead Japanese airmen, and some 56 other Japanese fliers are reported to be missing. Ten or eleven captive airmen are now held at Nanking. Fighting in the Woosung area continues to be most brisk with little change in positions. The Chinese lines are well maintained,_ despite heavy Japanese onslaughts and severe bombardment from Japanese warships and field pieces. This far Japanese forces have failed to effect a junction at various sectors in the Yangtsepoo and Woosung areas. DENIAL BY JAPAN ONLY 22 PLANES LOST (Received 10th September, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, 9th September. “The Times” Tokio correspondent says, retorting to the Chinese claims that they had brought down 61 Japanese aeroplanes and buried 81 dead Japanese airmen between 14th and 31st August, the Navy Office declares the total Japanese planes lost since the outbreak of hostilities is only 22. The Japanese claim to have destroyed 194 Chinese aircraft.

SWATOW AGAIN BOMBED

MANY CHINESE KILLED HONG KONG, 9th September. Japanese again bombed Swatow, killing many Chinese, resulting in the British Consul appealing for help. The British destroyer Thracian is going to Swatow.

PLANES ATTACK JAPANESE WARSHIPS

LUMBER YARDS SET ON FIRE DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT 500,000 DOLLARS (Received lOt hSeptember, 1.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, 9th September. Chinese aeroplanes diving down on Japanese warships in an effort to blow them up shortly after midnight, local time, dropped bombs, setting fire to the America-China Lumber Company’s yards. Members of the foreign “suicide squad” of the fire brigade immediately responded, fighting the blaze, but the yards burned out, resulting in damage of half a million dollars.

PURCHASE OF WOOL

JAPAN SEEKING TO CUT DOWN (Received 10th September. 9.10 a.m.) TOKIO, 9th September. The “Asahi Shimbun' says the Government is seeking to cut down purchases of Australian wool under the trade agreement to 500,000 bales, in ad-

dition to cessation of purchases from New Zealand Argentina. Chile and Soulli Africa. RUSSIAN PLANES FOR CHINA REPORT FROM TOKIO TOKIO, 9th September. The Domei News Agency reports that 100 Russian motor lorries laden with aeroplanes arrived at Sianfui. where a dozen Soviet aviators arc arriving for training Chinese airmen. ON A WAR FOOTING WHOLE JAPANESE SYSTEM TOKIO, Bth September. The Diet approved eleven Bills placing the whole economic fabric on a war footing basis of control. VESSELS FOR THE SOVIET CONTRACTS CANCELLED BY JAPAN TOKIO. 9th September. Under the emergency Shipping Control Bill, Japanese shipyards have cancelled contracts to build 17 vessels for the Soviet aggregating 18,000 tons.

AIMS OF JAPANESE

SPECULATION ON EVENTS

LONDON, 30th August.

The diplomatic correspondent of the Manchester “Guardian" says that some experienced observers are of opinion that if the Japanese are sufficiently successful against the Chinese in the next few weeks and the weather remains favourable they will extend their operations to involve Soviet Russia. Military experts, the newspaper says, attach the greatest importance, not only to the Tokio-Berlin entente, but to the possibility of an understanding between Tokio and Rome. The theory is that Italy would immobilise the British forces in the Mediterranean and the Near East, and Germany would strike in the direction of Russia by combined military and naval operations against the Baltic States.

In Berlin and Tokio it is believed that the Red Army has been disorganised by the recent mass executions. Japan is also encouraged by the apparent passivity of the United States, and she contemplates striking northwards, to isolate the Amur province, with the object, ultimately, of pushing back the Russian frontier, capturing Vladivostok, and removing the air menace to Japanese cities.

FINANCING THE WARFARE

ACUTE STRAIN IN JAPAN KEEN NEED FOR IMPORTS LONDON, Ist September. According to the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times,” informed circles in London are seeking to assess how China and Japan will stand prolonged hostilities.

So far China has become steadily more united. Only two months ago the “peace-at-any-price” movement had a strong following in many parts of China, but now little is heard of it. Similarly differences in the Chinese higher command have been composed, and two of General Chiang Kai-shek’s bitterest opponents have rallied to his support. China is more of a nation than she has been for years. If General Chiang Kai-shed can avoid a crushing defeat, he may be helped by the general geography and hold out for a long time. Japan is feeling the financial strain acutely as a result of her heavy expenditure on armaments and her total indebtedness has increased. Already she has been obliged to float fresh loans to cover the cost of the campaign. Although she reduced her foreign debt in the last year, the economic strain is aggravated by her lack of raw materials and of machinery needed for industrial development, and by the allround increase of costs,. A det/aluation of the yen might relieve the strain temporarily, but it would strangle the flow of much-needed imports.

Some industrialists are supporting the campaign, because they hope to exploit the cheap minerals and raw materials in North China, but others believe that the gamble is not worth the risk and the certain losses of war. They consider that peaceful penetration would secure greater gains at smaller cost.

RESPECTIVE FORCES

COMPARED ON LAND, SEA AND AIR Should the peace talks now being held at Nanking fail to prevent recourse to large-scale hostilities China, from the standpoint of sheer manpower, would have an overwhelming initial advantage writes the Shanghai corerspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor” under date 9th August. It has a total of about 160 divisions under arms as compared on ‘.be Japanese side with a standing army of only 17 divisions, plus a number of independent brigades and miscellaneous units. But a number of factors make the disparity more apparent than real.

In the first place the Japanese have 2,250,000 trained reservists of military age available at call. Each division has a duplicate cadre from which a new division could be built up from'these reserves in time of national emergency. It would be possible within a few months to double the peace-time pro-

portions of the Japanese army, estimated to total anywhere from 230,000 lu 325,000 men. Then again only a part of the Chinese forces, totalling perhaps 1,500,000 men. can be considered 100 per cent, reliable. At least one fourth—possibly more, depending upon political conditions —must be written off as being of doubtful loyalty to the Central Government and of the balance only a relatively small proportion—say 150,000—could bo properly equipped according to modern standard, Generalissimo Cliinng Kaishek has made strenuous efforts during the last year or two to build up a reserve of supplies sufficient at least for a six months campaign, but there is still not enough to go around so vast a body of troops. CHINA WEAK IN ARTILLERY

Primarily an infantry organisation, the Chinese army is notably weak in artillery. Many different types of guns, both imported and of domestic manufacture. are used and this would enormously complicate the munitions supply problem in time of war. As many a harassed commander discovered during the World War, it is difficult enough to keep the guns supplied when a standard shell is employed. When half a dozen different types of shell are in use the chances of a hopeless mix-up are vastly increased. Experts consider the Chinese cavalry, which uses stocky little Mongol ponies about half the size of the huge Australian-bred horses ridden by the Japanese, to be inferior also. Actually they are little more than mounted infantry, but even if one considers them in that light their effectiveness is reduced by the fact that they are armed with carbines instead of the long-range service rifle.

Some of the crack Nanking divisions have been equipped with tanks but on the whole the mechanisation of the Chinese Army has proceeded very slowly. On the other hand the Japanese army has made rapid progress in that respect, and during the Jehol campaign in 1932 it demonstrated its ability to employ this modern arm with telling effect. AIR SUPREMACY IN..DOUBT

j One big question mark is Ihe com- | bat efficiency of the Chinese air force, j consisting of some 15 fighting squadj rons plus some 200 training machines. 'Although Chinese military bombers | have done effective work in various | internal wars and against communistS bandits, it remains to be seen what sort 'of a showing the Chinese flier would I make when he found himself up against a well-armed foe. On the other hand the combat efficiency of the Japanese air force also remains an unknown quantity. Under American and latterly Italian direction, progress has been made during the last three or four years, but expert observers feel that much still remains to be done before China’s air arm will be efficient. One serious defect is the extraordinary hodgepodge of machines and engines, including American, British, Italian, German and French models of almost every known type and vintage, which is to be found in China. Every time a new model comes out the Chinese seem to feel that they must have it, irrespective of whether it fits in with the general scheme of things or not. This diversity complicates the training of mechanics, of whom there is a serious shortage. There is also a serious lack of reserves both in machines and personnel. The fact that the Chinese air force has no national aircraft industry behind it would place it in a precarious position if supplies from abroad were cut off by an enemy blockade in lime of war. Those who have watched Chinese pilots in training made one other serious criticism. They say that while the Chinese make fairly good fliers, most of them display a contempt for mechanics as something which they should not be expected to bother about. The Chinese Navy must be dismissed as a negligible quantity in any conflict exceeding the proportions of a civil war. For the defence of her 2860 miles of coastline China has avail-

able not more than 50 obsolete vessels, some of which were built as long ago as 1895. The total tonnage is about 41,009. and there is a personnel of about 8500 ollicers and men.

Japan has nine gunboats operating cn the Yangtse. In addition to these, the Japanese naval forces regularly operating in China water consist of three cruisers and 10 destroyers.