Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1941. CHINA’S VALIANT EFFORT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1941. CHINA’S VALIANT EFFORT.

well advanced in the fifth year of a. terrible war against the Japanese invaders of her territory, China is giving impressive proof both of her dauntless courage and of the great resources still at her command., Although the full story of late events in the vicinity of Changsha, in Central China, has yet to be told, there does not seem to be any doubt that the Japanese have suffered a shattering and very costly defeat in an offensive thrust which they organised with deliberate care and with a. use of powerful forces which they presumably hoped would be capable of bearing down all opposition.

According to Chungking, the Japanese have lost 30,000 in killed and wounded and at time of writing four trapped Japanese divisions —some 40,000 men —are stated to have effected a river crossing only to be met by fresh Chinese forces. On the facts disclosed, the Hunan campaign is of considerable importance and significance. Amongst other things the defeat of the Japanese at Changsha denies them the use of the Canton-Hankow railway, for the movement of reinforcements to Malaya. Apart from these and other immediate effects the Chinese success has an obvious bearing on Japan’s endeavours to lighten her liabilities in Chinese territory and so to release forces which could be used in her offensive campaigns in Malaya and elsewhere. Japan, if is believed, has withdrawn already some of the troops, totalling something like a million men, she had at a comparatively recent date deployed in China and Manchukuo. No doubt she is anxious to withdraw more, in order to employ them in other Pacific war zones. In the course of events at Changsha, and in other areas of Chinese military activity, there is evidence that in weakening her armies of invasion in China, Japan will he inviting visible, heavy and humiliating defeat.

It seems likely in these circumstances that China will be able to afford most timely and welcome relief to her Allies in the period in which-they are mustering their naval, air and other forces for offensive action against Japan. Although there are some relieving details in the latest news —notably in the bombing of a Japanese battleship and sinking of one or more destroyers at Davao and in the gallant stand by the American and Filipino forces north-west of Manila —the position as a whole in the Philippines and Malaya can only be regarded at the moment as extremely critical. It is indicated that while this state of affairs continues China may be able to render invaluable service in the common cause.

At the most immediate view account has to be taken also of the link China has established with her Allies in Burma, and her dispatch of troops to that country. China is thus at once assisting the Allies, in the defensive stand to which they are committed for the time being and safeguarding the line of communications by which she is herself able to receive warlike supplies. Looking a little further ahead there is every reason to believe that China will be able to make a formidable contribution to the tremendous concentration of power that will be directed ultimately against Japan.