DEFEAT IN THE NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 11

DEFEAT IN THE NORTH

| IRRETRIEVABLE DISASTER 200,000 FUGITIVE TROOPS pi■ /• , | . JAPANESE DEFINE AIMS By Teleprraph—Press Association—Cops'rlght (Received October 15, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 14 The Tokio correspondent of the Times says all the news to hand confirms the impression that the Chinese have suffered a complete and irretrievable disaster in North China. The defenders of Shihkiachwang, numbering 200,000, have become a mass of fugitives. Those sufficiently fortunate to be near the railway made off southward, but many thousands were caught in a net. The remainder are fleeing through passes into the hilly, inhospitable regions of Shansi. The Japanese reached a point 40 miles south of Shihkiachwang and further southward bombe| troop trains at'Keikiu and half ruined Shungteh. They are thrusting toward Taiyuan and have reached the Niangzekuan Pass, on the borders of Hopei and Shansi. | The Shanghai correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the objectives of the Japanese Army in China are now declared to be the complete occupation of all territory north of the Yellow i River, the occupation of Hainan Island, in the South, and a decisive victory at Shanghai. It is intended to achieve all three before the end of the year. The Emperor of Japan is reported to be concerned at unfavourable "developments in Japan'# foreign relations." Despatches from Chinese sources state that the advance of the Japanese in North China has been more successful than in the Shanghai sector. However, the weather in the north may prove to be an important factor. Snow is beginning to fall in Mongolia and may soon bring the campaign to an" end. TThe Japanese, however, hope to drive a wedge between Chinese Mongolia and China proper in order to cut the communications between Chinat and Russia before the. winter sets in. Japanese airmen are dropping handbills for, the Chinese troops on all fronts offering a dollar to every soldier who deserts. i| . ' Fighting has been renewed on the Tientsin-Pukow railway. The, Japanese attacking the Chinese entrenched at Pingyuan are now within 40 miles of the Yellow: River. The biggest Japanese air raid so far resulted in the bombing of all the important towns in Shantung, also 23 railway stations and numerous bridges and railway tracks. The airmen tank two Chinese gun-boats. '£• '