FURTHER CHINESE SUCCESSES IN EAST

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 169, 20 July 1942, Page 3

FURTHER CHINESE SUCCESSES IN EAST

PORT RECAPTURED

Important Communication Centre Occupied United Press Association. —Copyright. Rec. noon. LONDON, July 19. The Chinese have recaptured the port of Wenchow in Chekiang Province, and forced the Japanese garrison to retire, says a Chungking message. The Central News says Chinese forces also have recaptured the strategic river town of San Kiang Kou. 31 miles south of Nanchang, in Hupeh Province. Chinese forces are continuing their activity in Chekiang. Kiangsi, Kwangtung and Suiyuan Provinces without major changes. A later Chungking communique states that the Chinese, after capturing Wenchow, also recaptured Juian, 13 miles to the south. Furthermore, they recaptured Hengfeng and Iyang on the Chekiang-Kiangsi railway.

The United Press states that successful Chinese counter-attacks in Kiangsi Province inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese. Many fled by sea, while others are surrounded near Wenchow and face annihilation.

Military authorities point out that the recapture of Iyang has knocked out the Japanese communications to the north, thereby rendering the Chekiang-Kiangsi railway virtually useless for the Japanese. The Koreans, in an organised revolt, heavily damaged a Japanese air base on Quelpart Island, off South Korea. News of the revolt has just reached the Korean National Front Federation in Washington.

Korean workers destroyed a wireless station, set on fire four underground hangars, destroyed 69 planes and iwo petrol tanks. They killed 142 pilots and mechanics and wounded 200 others. The Japanese later killed all 400 Koreans who survived the fighting with the Japanese troops. This revolt and similar uprisings which will continue caused terrible Japanese reprisals. They killed or imprisoned 125,000 Koreans and put 750,000 in labour battalions.