DECISIVE BLOW

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 96, 26 April 1938, Page 7

DECISIVE BLOW

CHIANG ISSUES ORDERS FURIOUS JAPANESE OFFENSIVE Received April 25, 9.10 p.m. SHANGHAI, April 24. General Chiang Kai-shek, ordering the armies to deliver a decisive blow, stated: “The Japanese are reaching the end of their resources. They are employing wearied troops from the Hopei, Shansi, Kiangsu and Anhwai provinces for a desperate drive on Shantung, where already they have repeatedly failed.” The Japanese onslaught toward Taierch-wang continues with unabated fury. The Chinese are rushing up reinforcements. The Chinese are reserving 300,000 troops in order to await the critical opportunity of flinging them into the furious offensive. The Chinese claim they are holding their ground despite the activity of the Japanese artillery and aircraft. The Chinese claim scattered guerrilla successes, but these cannot be regarded as of definite importance as affecting the general issue. The Japanese claim that they have captured Tancheng, 12 miles from the Lunghai railway. CHINESE FORCES POWER DECREASED SUGIYAMA’S STATEMENT TOKIO, April 22. The Premier, Prince Konoye, presided at a Cabinet meeting, at which the Minister of War (General Suglyama) stated that the fighting power of the Chinese had decreased remarkably, compelling the Chinese Government to resort to compulsory armament of the population and guerrilla warfare. The Japanese have given them no chance of making effective counter-attacks. PANAY INCIDENT INDEMNITY PAID AMICABLE SETTLEMENT TOKIO, April 22. The Foreign Office states that £442,000 was handed to the United States Embassy in full payment of the Panay indemnity. The affair is thus “amicably settled.” DETAINED BY JAPANESE AMERICAN AIRMAN WHO SERVED WITH CHINESE. Received April 25, 9.20 p.m. LONDON, April 24. The Yokohama correspondent of The Times says that the police have detained an American airman named Gibbon, formerly of the China Air Force, with which he admits participating against the Japanese at Pengpu.