DOUBLE DRIVE INTO MANCHURIA

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23278, 14 August 1945, Page 5

DOUBLE DRIVE INTO MANCHURIA

Russians Pour Across Mountains Landings In Korea By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright 12.10 a.m. LONDON, August 13. Marshal Malinovsky with two major forces across the mountains is developing a double drive over the Manchurian Plain, say Agency correspondents in Moscow. The first drive is making straight for Harbin down the railway and the other appears to be develoning in the general direction of the road leading to Mukden. Armoured formations and cavalry are now pouring across the mountains and pushing the Japanese back to the plain where defence is much more difficult. Moscow military observers express the opinion that now Marshal Malinovsky has succeeded in bringing armour over the mountains he will rapidly cover the distance on the Plain and carry the battle to the Western Gates of Harbin.

Another Red Army force following up the landing on the Korean mainland is pushing down the coastal highway. General Meretzov’s forces are advancing against Harbin from the East and menacing the big- junction of Ninan from the North and South, even threatening to by-pass It on the North. The airfields North-east of Ninan has beeti neutralised. Another arm of this force is moving toward the Korean frontier to join' in the battle started at the coast ports. The Russian landings at Yuklwan were made in a storm so heavy that the Japanese believed the operation impossible and were taken completely by surprise. Russian assault troops carried out the operation from ships hidden off the coast in darkness. The Japanese are repotted to have panicked and abandoned arms munitions and supplies. Secret documents and maps were captured. The Japanese have converted Yuki Wan into a fairly large air naval base. Red Army troops continue to fight their way forward into the depths of Manchuria, states a Russian communique. Troops of the. First Far Eastern Command in the maritime province, continuing the offensive in difficult moun-

tain woodea country, capiureu iwuimgchan and Kunchung and occupied a number of inhabited places. They advanced between nine and a half and 22 miles. Troops of the Second Fai’ Eastern Command south-west of Khabarovsk, in conjunction with the Amur River flotilla, fought their way Into a number of riverside localities on the south bank of the Amur River. Between the rivers Ussuri and Sungari they captured a number of localities.

South-west of Blagovyeshehensk they captured Aigun and several other places. Troops Of the Transbaikal Command, continuing the offensive along the rail-line from Hailar to Harbin, captured the railway town of Yakoshih and other places. Russian mobile forces on a number of sectors, forced crossings of the Khangan range and established themselves on the eastern slopes. Ships’ landing parties from the Russian Pacific Fleet captured the North Korean ports of Yuki and Rsahin. Ships and planes from the Pacific Fleet on Friday and yesterday struck against enemy shipping in North Korean ports and at sea, sinking two Japanese destroyers and 14 transports. Russian planes yesterday attacked enemy rail junctions in Manchuria. The Japanese are rapidly falling back before the Red Army’s three-point assault. Already they have lost Northern Manchuria from a strategic point of view, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent.

The Japanese in many areas are completely disorganised. They are withdrawing without plan or are forming pockets of frantic resistance.