WAR IN CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 4 June 1938, Page 15

WAR IN CHINA

JAPANESE AIR RAIDS EIGHTEEN HUNDRED IN MAY TROOPS MASS AT LANGFENG MOMENTOUS BATTLE EXPECTED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SHANGHAI, June 3. (Received June 3, at 8.40 p.m.) It is announced that during May Japanese naval aircraft carried out 1800 raids over China, dropping 900 tons of explosives Eight bombers arrived at Canton at 3 o’clock this afternoon and raided for an hour, concentrating mostly on the area in the vicinity of the Canton-Kowloon railway terminus, where thousands of refugees are awaiting transport to Hongkong. The bombs dropped, however, missed their mark. A message from Tokio states that the Japanese claim that they are encircling Kaifeng, despite counterattacks at Langfeng, and are now driving towards Chengchow, where it is estimated that 200,000 Chinese are massed. The Japanese expect a momentous battle west of Langfeng. General Chiang Kai-shek is personally directing the disposition of 14 Chinese divisions between Langfeng and Kaifeng. NEW WAR MINISTER JAPANESE APPOINTMENT MORE VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN FAVOURED TOKIO, June 3. (Received June 3, at 11.55 p.m.) Lieutenant-general Itagaki, who has been recalled from China, has been appointed Minister of War, in place of General Sugiyama, who will take a seat on the Supreme War Council. Lieutenant-general Itagaki is the youngest War Minister in the history of Japan. He is regarded as having outstanding ability and he favours the speeding up of the campaign in China beginning with the capture of Wonlrmir

INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING CASUALTIES AT CANTON LONDON. June 3. (Received June 4, at 0.20 a.m.) Replying to a question in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) said that bombing of Canton had resulted in 450 killed and 100 wounded. Bombs fell in places of no military importance, Mr Chamberlain said. ACT OF PIRACY ATTACK ON PORTUGUESE SHIP SHANGHAI, June 3. (Received June 3, at 11.55 p.m.) Following Wednesday’s piracy of a steam tender belonging to the Dollar Line in the Yangtse-kiang, yielding booty worth £2500, armed junks with a complement of 100 boarded a small Portuguese cargo steamer entering Hangchow Bay. They threw hand grenades, killing the second engineer and smashing the mainmast.

The pirates abandoned the prize three hours later, taking the purser and four Chinese sailors as hostages, together with all available valuables. SEIZURE OF PROPERTY EFFECT OF AMERICAN PROTEST SUPPORT FROM BRITAIN WASHINGTON, June 3. (Received June 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The State Department has- been officially advised that the Japanese Government has acceded to at least some of the demands in the American protest on June 1. The Japanese have formally returned certain property belonging to American missions. A later message from Tokio states that Japan has restored to the Americans the mission station at Chapei, but not the university and business properties. The Japanese Government has also promised permission to four British missionaries to return to Nanking. The British Consulate at Shanghai has supplemented America’s representations to Japan against the obstruction of foreign nationals and properties in occupied areas. Mr Cordell Hull, American Secretary of State, strongly protested to Japan against the continued interference in China with American nationals and properties by Japanese military.

HUGE DISPARITY

CASUALTY FIGURES COMPARED

TOKIO, June 2

The official Japanese losses in the three months to May 31 are given as 2139 killed and 8586 wounded. The Chinese casualties are given as 250,000.