JAPANESE CLAIM BIG VICTORY

Southland Times, Issue 23818, 16 May 1939, Page 7

JAPANESE CLAIM BIG VICTORY

RETREAT OF CHINESE REPORTED HEAVY LOSSES IN MAY OFFENSIVE LONDON, May 14. The Japanese army in Central China claims to have routed 26 Chinese divisions and two brigades as the result of the May offensive against the main body of Chinese, the Fifth Army, in the Hupeh war zone. The Japanese are advancing towards the next offensive, keeping parallel with the fleeing enemy and mopping up the stragglers. This success, which enables the Japanese to retain the Wuhan cities, was the result of enticing the Chinese towards a line east of the PelingHankow railway, 80 miles north-west of Hankow, entrapping them near Anlu, penetrating the Chinese defences northwest of Tsaoyang (which was captured), outflanking a large number, cutting off the retreat and cutting the communications between the first and fifth war zones.

The Shanghai correspondent of The Times says that the Chinese at Chungking admit a Japanese surprise thrust northwards along the east bank of the Han river but declare that it is too early to say whether this is a masterstroke or suicide. They deny the Japanese encirclement of 26 divisions, adding that the mountainous terrain of Hupeh forbids this. Seven Japanese aeroplanes directly hit more than 100 buildings in the treaty port of Ningpo. Ten persons were killed. f , The Hong Kong correspondent of the British United Press says that the Japanese twice raided Swatow from the ail- causing deaths, damage and striking Matheson and Jardine’s office. The British escort ship Folkestone narrowly escaped machine-gunning.