NATIONALISTS FALL BACK

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1949, Page 5

NATIONALISTS FALL BACK

i W.Z.P.A.-

- Reuter ,

Preparing For Next Stand Against Reds /

, Co wright)

Received Monday, 10.25 a.m. SHANGHAI, May 1. The Nationalist forces that eight days ago abandoned the Yangtze defe'nces and escaped Communist envelopment are today falling back behind another of China's great rivers — the Chientang, 150 miles further south — for their next stand against the advancing Commifnist armies. Having evacuated Hanchow, the Natiopalists are taking up new positioiis along the south bank of the Chientang, which flows in the general direction of their 500-mile defenee line stretching from Niiigpo through Hanchow to Nanking. Mllitary observers said it was uncertain whether the Nationalists iptend to defend their new position or make another strategic withdrawal. Two Communist columns are today officially reported to be moving swiftly south to attack the Na- ' tionalist positions along the hiahways running from the new Communist stronghold in the Lake Taihua area to Hanchow and to Changwa, 45 miles west. Two-other Communist columns are said to be drawing. closer, desoite Nationalist opposition, to the isolated road and railway junction of Kashina. Meanwhile, the Communist envelopment is creepmg c'oser ■ Shanghai from the new direction. The Communists, in a vast mopping up operation, are now threatening towns north of Shanghai. Most important of these is Woosung, at the mouth of the Whangpoo River. A concentration of Chinese warships is standing off Woosung ready to swing their guns into action if the Communists attempt to approach the city from this direction. Defenee To Bitter End. In Canton today, a Government spokesman said that the Nationalists had decided to defend Shanghai and Canton to the bitter end A Communist broadcast from Peiping claimed that a great victory had been won over the Nationalists in the Nanking, Shanghai and Hanchow area. The broadcast said that eight Government armies had been wiped out and portions of four others routed.