SURPRISE MOVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 113, 16 May 1939, Page 7

SURPRISE MOVE

JAPANESE IN CHINA MASTER STROKE OR SUICIDE? CLAIMS OF ENCIRCLEMENT DIVISIONS ALLEGEDLY ROUTED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received May 15, 6.30 p.m. LONDON, May 14. The Shanghai correspondent of The Times says that the Chinese at Shungking admit a Japanese surprise thrust northwards along the east bank of the Han River, but declare it is too early to say whether it is a master stroke or suicide. They deny the Japanese encirclement of 26 divisions, adding that the mountainous terrain in the Hupeh province forbids this.

It is claimed from Tokio that the Japanese army in central China routed 26 Chinese divisions and two brigades as the result of the May offensive against the main body of the Chinese in the fifth (Hupehe) war zone. The Japanese are claimed to be advancing toward the next offensive, keeping parallel with the fleeing enemy and mopping up stragglers. The success, which enabled the Japanese to retain the Wuhan cities, was the resuit of enticing the Chinese towards a line east of the Pekir-g-Hankow railway, 80 miles north-west of Hankow, entrapping them near Anlu and penetrating the Chinese defences northwest of Tsaoyang, which was captured. outflanking a large number and cutting off their retreat, besides cutting communications between the first and fifth war zones. Air Raids on Swatow. The Hongkong correspondent of the British United Press says that the Japanese twice air raided Swatow, causing deaths and damage and striking Matheson-Jardine’s ollices. The British escort ship Folkestone narrowly escaped a machine-gunning. A Shanghai message says that seven Japanese planes directly hit over 100 buildings at the treaty port of Ningpo. Ten persons were killed. EXPLOITING SPRATELY ISLAND JAPANESE UNDERTAKLMi. Received May 15, 5.5 p.m. TOKIO, May 14. Mr. Suja Hirata, president of the i Kaipo industrial companies, is exploiting Sprately Island with 300 workers.