Haifa Million Communist Troops Advancing Into China Proper

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 June 1948, Page 5

Haifa Million Communist Troops Advancing Into China Proper

(N. Z. P. A. —Reuter—Copyright) Recd. 10 p.m. Shanghai, June 28 Half a million Communist troops, advancing south aown the Peiping-Mukden line, have breached the Great Wall ami entered China proper. Thirty thousand Reds have fought their way to the environs of Port Chin-Wang-Tao, while another force is 30 miles from Tientsin. This new Red push, which overshadowed other civil war fronts, has for its objectives,

firstly, to open the. gates for Manchurian Communist troops to enter the Hopei area, thus allowing Red forces stationed there to reinforce the Communists ii' the northern part of Central China. The second purpose is to paralyse communications between Peiping and the Inner Mongolian provinces of Jehoi and Suiyuan and at the same time cut op' the Nationalist-held “corridor” with South Manchuria. General Fu, who commands the three conscription districts of Shanghai, Sooehow and Sun-

kiang, today warned the people of Shanghai “to prepare fo>’ the. worst.”

General Fu said the Nationalist Government did not have sufficient soldiers to carry out successfully the rebel suppression campaign. Warning the people of Shanghai that most of them mistakenly thought they could always live in peace, General Fu called for money from the rich and volunteers from among ablebodied citizens. He said Shanghai had thus far been able to provide only 25 per cent, of its conscription quota.