JAPANESE FORCES IN CHINA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20815, 25 August 1937, Page 9

JAPANESE FORCES IN CHINA

FIERCE CAMPAIGN DEVELOPS

STUBBORN RESISTANCE . BY CHINESE BOTH SIDES CLAIM SUCCESSES United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 24, 8.45 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 24. A Tientsin message says that foreign observers estimate that there c.re between 80,000 and 100,000 Japanese troops in North China. A Japanese destroyer is reported sung and a gunboat disabled by Chinese projectiles during yesterday’s Woosumo landing, which the Chinese claim they largely prevented. PLANNING MASS ATTACK CHINA'S UNUSUAL RESISTANCE United Press Association— By Electric Tel egraph Copy rlgh t SHANGHAI, August 23. The Japanese military spokesman announces that the Japanese are contemplating a mass attack. The Chinese determinedly withstood the Japanese after landing at Lluho and Woosung, which the Japanese warships covered, firing 500 heavy shells. The Chinese awaited the invaders at a dozen different points on the riverside and engaged them at close quarters, fighting for hours before falling back. After this the Japanese established field headquarters at the Wenchaopang railway station, with the intention of relieving the hard-pressed sailors and marines in the front line.

The Japanese suffered severely at Liuho and Woosung, but captured the terminus of the military highway from Woosung to Yantsepoo. Chinese Strategy The Chinese announce a strategic retirement to defensive positions for a decisive battle to relieve the Japanese pressure on Shanghai. The Japanese, on the other hand, hope to smash the Chinese before they can perform this strategic withdrawal. A large party of Chinese marines landed at Tslngtao and occupied positions in order to . resist a possible Japanese landing. Mixed Chinese forces, estimated at 25,000 are enclosing the city and constructing fortifications. Incidents at Shanghai Include a bomb striking the roof next door to Hamilton House, the temporary headquarters of the British Consulate, tearing through three floors and starting a fire, which was extinguished. Passengers aboard the Shanghai Maru saw Japanese soldiers on a riverside wharf shoot, bayonet and toss into the Whangpoo River four trussed, kneeling figures, probably captured snipers. Japanese Claims The Tokio correspondent of “The Times’’ says: The Japanese troops operating along the Suiyan railway, north-west of Peiping, are now almost successful. The menace from Kalgan to the Japanese right flank has been averted by the Japanese, who crossed the Great Wall and occupied Wanchuan, a strategic town 10 miles west of Kalgan, and hold Nankow. JAPAN’S EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN FIERCE FIGHTING IN PROGRESS United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph -Copyright (Received August 24, 11.47 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 24 The Japanese this morning opened 1 a general land, sea, and air attack, especially on the Woosung forces. The Chinese are stubbornly resisting. The fiercest fighting occurred on the Settlement boundary, a salient which the Japanese strongly fortified, and hope to smash through. A British United Press Association message states that a small force of Japanese bayonetted a breach at Ruiho, south of the mouth of the Whangpoo. The Japanese claim another success at Woosung and are at present advancing on the Chapei power station, but the Chinese assert that they wiped out a Japanese division trying to land at Woosung last night. KEY TO CHAHAR PROVINCE CAPTURE CLAIMED BY JAPANESE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright ((Received August 25, 1.2 a.m.) TOKIO, August 24 The Japanese announce that they captured Nankow Pass, the key to the Chahar province.