SOVIET ARMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23112, 10 August 1938, Page 13

SOVIET ARMY

DIVISION IN FIELD KOREAN OPERATIONS feont extending EARLY PEACE UNLIKELY JAPAN'S VAIN EFFORTS By Telegraph—Fress Association —Copyright (Received August 0, 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, August I) In spite of the fact, that the Japanese Government is clearly making efforts for a peaceful settle'"ment of the frontier dispute with Russia, the Army leaders are not hopeful of an early cessation of hostilities, says the Tokio correspondent of the Times. They point out that since July 29 there has been no contact between the commanders on the spot, any person approaching the Soviet line being fired upon. They declare the situation now resembles a full-dress war on a fourmile front, except that since July 31 the Japanese forces have been fighting purely on the defensive. Tl\o Russian forces operating in the area are now believed to number at least a division, including artillery, tanks and aeroplanes, compared with their original strength of four battalions. The Japanese claim to have.destroyed 70 tanks since the conflict began. They have brought down certainly five and possibly seven Soviet aeroplanes by gunfire. THREE AIR RAIDS RUSSIANS BOMB LINES JAPANESE GRIMLY WAITING SOVIET MARSHAL ARRIVES (Received August 10, l'J.5 a.m.) TOKIO, August 9 Fourteen Russian bombing aeroplanes have ' attacked the Japanese lines at Chang-kufeng and Sha-tsao-ping three times since dawn to-day. _ The Japanese are manning their trenches in both areas and grimly awaiting a new Russian onslaught. Only a few hundred yards separate the forces, and No Man's Land is strewn with bodies, rifles, machineguns and derelict tanks. Fresh Russian troops are replacing the main body in the front line at Chang-kufeng. Marshal Bluecher has arrived at Novokievsk in order personally to direct operations. POSITIONAL WARFARE AIR RAIDS ON KOREA ATTACKS BY RUSSIANS LONDON, August 8 It is reported from Korea that today's fighting on the Manchukuo border far exceeded the scope of a frontier incident, inasmuch as it developed into regular positional warfare on a fourmile front "with the strategic hills of Cfiang-knfeng. and Sha-tsaoping as objectives. Soviet airmen, who are incessantly reconnoitring and raiding the Korean frontier, says a message from Tokio, again bombed Keiko. The damage was negligible. >. The Japanese War Office spokesman says the Japanese Air Force has not yet been put into action, as it is undesirable to aggravate the situation. A Russian battalion, supported by artillery, later to-day repeatedly and unsuccessfully attacked Chang-kufeng hill, bays the - spokesman. More than 100 Russian tanks are now in position facing the Japanese. The total Japanese casualties at Chang-kufeng since the outbreak of hostilities, says this authority, are 120 killed and 330 wounded. The Russians' are alleged to havo been greater. ADVICE TO JAPANESE FASCIST AMBASSADORS WORST TIME FOR WAR Times Cable LONDON. August 8 It is understood that the German and Italian Ambassadors have urged on Japan moderation in the handling of the frontier dispute, says the Tokio correspondent of the Times. Germany pointed out that this was the worst possible time to involve tho anti-Communist triangle with Russia while Japan is occupied with China, and Germany is concerned over Czechoslovakian developments. Nevertheless Japanese Army leaders do not expect an early cessation of hostilities.