TURNED BACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24194, 9 February 1942, Page 5

TURNED BACK

JAPANESE OFFENSIVES CHINA'S VALIANT FIGHT FURIOUS CANTON BATTLE (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 7 A Chungking official radio communique says the Chinese troops turned back a Japanese offensive in the Kiangsi Province and are holding firmly against a second enemy drive further south in Kwantung. The Kiangsi fighting is centring south and west of Nanchang. The Chinese cleared the enemy from both banks of the Kan River, driving them back to their original lines. The battle east of Canton is still raging furiously. The Chinese have pushed the Japanese back 10 miles and are trying to prevent the Japanese from using the important CantonKowloon. railway. The Chungking military spokesman disclosed that in the past month the Japanese have withdrawn from the China front five divisions totalling 100,000 men. To compensate for the weakened position caused by the withdrawals the Japanese are now relying on the extreme mobility of the remaining garrison troops. The network of highways and railroads must be kept in good repair and strongly protected. Their mobility enables the Japanese hurriedly to send aid to attacked garrisons. Chungking reports that the Chinese have re-entered the port of Waichow, on the East River on the mainland behind Hongkong. The New Zealand Government has contributed £SOOO to the Chinese Red Cross as a mark of appreciation of the heroic struggle of the Chinese armed forces and civilians.