JAPAN'S BIG BID

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19423, 7 September 1937, Page 5

JAPAN'S BIG BID

SHANGHAI PUSH GUMS ROAR WITH DAWM CHINESE HOLDING OUT PARTIAL RETIREMENT COUNTER-ATTACK PLANNED (Elec. Tal. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Rec. Sept. 7, 12 noon). SHANGHAI, Sept. 6. Supported by heavy artillery warships and planes, which mercilessly bombarded Hongkew and the Yangtsepoo, the Japanese forces began their much-heralded big push at dawn today. The Chinese artillery at Kiangwan replied energetically. A seven-hour lull was rudely ended at 2.30 p.m. by the opposing forces on all sectors exchanging artillery and machine-gun fire. The cruiser Idumo moved to anew position alongside the Jukong wharf and led the bombardment, the remaining Japanese warships at Woosung raking the Chinese lines. By 5.30 the Chinese batteries at Kiangwan and the Japanese at Yangtse-poo were engaged in the fiercest duel, the reverberations shaking the city. The Japanese objective appears to be the cleaning up of the Woosung peninsula, where the Chinese, who have a preponderance of man-power, are hanging on tenaciously. Bombs on Civic Centre Japanese aeroplanes dropped 100 bombs on the civic centre. The present operations are directed at China's weakest link, Yangtse-poo. from which troops have been withdrawn to strengthen the Lotien ana Woosung sectors. The Chinese, though slightly withdrawing from the Yangtsepoo sector, maintained the integrity of their defences on all other fronts, despite the Japanese position from Yangtsepoo to Woosung erupting volleys from mach-ine-guns, trench mortars and light and heavy artillery. The Chinese frustrated fresh Japanese attempts to land at Liuho, Yangtsepoo and Hongchow. The Chinese official news agency has admitted the partial retirement of Chinese troops for the purpose of defending the University of Woosung sector and to prevent the Japanese forces from junctioning. Chinese snipers wounded the Idumo’s commander, engineer, and captain. The Chinese admit the loss of the walled city of Paoshan. The Chinese are fiercely counter-attacking ' and claim to have encircled the Japanese at Woosung. Appealing to League The Nanking Government announces that China is appealing to the League of Nations against Japanese aggression. The Shanghai correspondent of The Times says that undoubtedly Unoriginal objective, which was either to cut off the the Chinese main forces centred at Kiangwan or to force their retirement to the westward, failed. The Japanese have now landed many more men and batteries, but there are still long gaps in their lines between Woosung and Yangtse-poo and Woosung and Lotien, while the Chinese are not reducing the pressure. Fifty Japanese transports, filled with men and supplies, which are lying at Yangtse, show that the Japanese realise that a largely-increased force is necessary.