THREAT TO CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24281, 23 May 1942, Page 7

THREAT TO CHINA

JAPANESE LANDING NEW FRONT CREATED LARGE FORCES ENGAGED (Reed. 12.15 a.m.) LONDON. May 21 The Japanese, apparently intent on knocking out China, or at least seizing forward areas from which Japan might be attacked, have supplemented their broad offensive in Chekiang Province with a landing in force on the north bank of the Min River, below Fooehow, under cover of a barrage by escorting warships, says the Associated Press correspondent at Chungking. The Japanese are believed to have about 125.000 troops in the Chekiang, Fukien and Kiangsi provinces. The Fooehow action has created a second highly active front in the Chekiang-Fukien seaboard area and lias constituted a new threat at the rear of the Chinese forces. t Enemy Objectives The New York Times' correspondent at Chungking expresses the opinion that the present Japanese drive in Chekiang aims to destroy possible springboards for Allied air attacks against Japan. The correspondent says the Japanese have made 22 raids, using 554 planes, since April 18, searching for fields where the American bombers landed after bombing Tokio. The correspondent adds Lhat the best evidence that the Japanese fliers have failed is that the Japanese have now resorted to a land campaign, employing an advance force of 20,000 to 30,000 men, who will carry out a fanlike attack in Chekiang from a base at Henghchow. The correspondent explains that subsidiary motives for the attack against Chekiang are an effort to blockade China and to eliminate guerillas, who are increasingly endangering the Japanese position. Heavy Fighting Ensues The landing force engaged in heavy fighting with the Chinese defence forces. The invading force arrived in a dozen transports, which proceeded up the Min River near Fooehow city. The Japanese continued intensive bombing of important communication centres in Chekiang, Fukien, Kiangsi, Hunan and Kwansi province. The heaviest raids were at Kian, Hangchow and Kweilin. The Chungking official radio says a Japanese steamship headed upstream in the Yangtse River struck a mine and blew up. Successful Counter-attacks The United Press states that Chinese counter-attacks threw back the enemy south of Hangchow and at the western Yunnan front the Chinese captured Kanlanchai and seized large quantities of booty. Four Japanese columns, totalling 80.000 troops, half of which were being held in reserve, are advancing on the Chekiang front. They have readied a point 50 miles from Kinhwa. Another Japanese force is massing at Nanchang to support the Chekiang thrust. Heavy Japanese forces are also concentrating on the Yangtse River base near Hankow, possibly as the forerunner to an effort to occupy the entire railway between Hankow and Canton, entailing a fourth battle for Changsha. The Japanese three times have entered Changsha, but have been driven out each time.

NEW HEADQUARTERS

GENERAL STILWELL'S STAFF

BRITISH AIR RAIDS IN BURMA (Reed. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 21

General Stihvell's headquarters will be established somewhere near the boundary of the inner section between Burma, India and China, says a Chungking message. The newspaper Takung says the necessary personnel is proceeding to new headquarters by air from China and India, and all the Chinese technical and transportation staffs hitherto operating in»Burma will be withdrawn to India. A review of the activities of the Allied forces in Burma received from Calcutta shows increased attacks on the Japanese in the first half of this month averaging two attacks daily and included aerodromes, transports and troops, say. the British official wireless. The enemy supply must have been seriously disturbed. In a most successful river-transport attack six barges were hit and probably destroyed at Monywa, on the Chindwin River. Magwe and Akyab aerodromes have been repeatedly bombed. The Americans bombed Rangoon docks and Mingaladon aerodrome. A feature of the fighting was the Japanese use of night fighters, which met no success in encounters with the Americans. FIRST PLANE OUT POWERFUL 30-TON BOMBER IMMENSE PRODUCTION PLANS DETROIT. May 21 The first Ford bomber has rolled off the half-mile assembly line in the vast Willow Run plant. The new plane is technically described as the 824 E. It weighs 30 tons and is powered by four Pratt-Whitney 1250 horse-power motors with a cruising range of 3000 miles and a speed of 300 miles per hour. The bomber carries four tons of bombs. A Ford official revealed that the new factory expects to reach a rate of production of one bomber every hour, with workers doing three eight-hour shifts when high-speed turnout is attained. An example of the factory's amazing efficiency is a huge milling machine, which is performing 11 operations simultaneously and reducing the time to construct the centre-wing structure from several days to a fraction of an hour. SPIES IN THE LEVANT (Reed. 9.15 p.m.) BEIRUT, May 21 Four spies were shot after a military trial and others were gaoled for from five to 13 years. They were members of a spy ring operating throughout the Levant. British and Free French operators co-operated in the spy hunt.