GENERAL OFFENSIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 89, 16 April 1938, Page 9

GENERAL OFFENSIVE

CHINESE IN HONAN YELLOW RIVER CROSSED. HANKOW, April 13. The Chinese crossed the Yellow River in north-west Honan and have begun a general offensive against Chiyuan, Pinglu, and Mengshien. A Chinese force wiped out the small Japanese garrisc • and re-occupied Chufu. A wedge has also been driven in the Japanese lines between Hanchwang and Yihsien. The Japanese are withdrawing heavy guns and munitions.

JAPANESE TRANSPORTS OFF AMOY AND FOOCHOW. ATTEMPT TO BOMB CANTON. SHANGHAI, April 13. It is reported that eight Japanese warships, an aircraft-carrier, and 20 transports are concentrated off Foochow and Amoy. Forty aeroplanes reconnoitred Amoy and 24 flew on to Canton and attempted to bomb the city, but they encountered a flight of Chinese fighters which shot down four and drove off the remainder. MAJOR WAR ALL OVER COMMENT BY NEW JAPANESE CONSUL-GENERAL Received April 15, 6.30 p.m. SYDNEY, April 15. New Zealand’s first Japanese Con-sul-General, Mr Kiichi Gunji, arrived at Sydney on Thursday by the Atsuta Maru, en route to Wellington. In an interview with the Sun, he said: “There is no great war now against China. It is all over. A little guerilla fighting remains but it may take a long time for the country to settle down.” Mr Gunji emphasised that Japan wanted Chinese co-opera-tion and nothing more. Japan would increase her markets if China would

co-operate. He added that he was proud to be the first Consul-General for Japan in New Zealand, with whom Japan was anxio”s to expand her trade.

CHINESE GAINS

REPORT TO N.Z. CONSUL

WELLINGTON, April 14.

The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul from Hankow this morning:— We have recaptured 90 per cent, of the villages between Taierchwang and Yihsien, and the recapture of the latter town is imminent.

Yesterday we recaptured Chufu and Ninyang. Our troops attacking Tsinan have withdrawn a short distance to the west, and are waiting before reattacking the city. We recaptured Changtze and Pinglu in the south of Shansi. During the last four weeks the enemy sustained between six and seven thousand casualties south of the Yangtse River. Although we lost Kwangteh and recaptured it again, the town is now wholly in ruins.

In the northern district, over 300 villages have been burnt by the enemy and at least 4000 inhabits have been massacred. JAPANESE PROTEST “MERE PROPAGANDA” CHINESE REPLY HANKOW, April 13. The Chinese deny tl*e Japanese allegations of misuse of foreign flags in buildings. A spokesman characterised it as mere propaganda and an attempt to fix the blame for the recent defeat. He added that the Chinese throughout the war have meticulously respected the flags and property e r Powers.

JAPANESE SURROUNDED Received April 15, 6.30 p.m. HANKOW. April 14. The Chinese captured Chiyuan and Pinglu and arc also storming the walls of Yishien. They have surrounded 10,000 Japanese. Ten thousand Chinese regulars ap-

peared at Sunkiang to assist the guerilla fighters harrying the Japanese supply line between Wuhu and Nanking. In support of the belief that the Japanese are short of man power, the Chinese report that, a gale blew over straw dummy soldiers used at Yishien to delude the Chinese that they were confronted by a larger army than that actually facing them. A shortage of supplies is holding up the Japanese in the Shantung campaign. The Soviet notification of the suspension of trans-Siberian visa® is believed to mask secret new concentrations of Soviet troops in view of the tension between the Soviet and Japan