KUNMING RECAPTURED

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1949, Page 5

KUNMING RECAPTURED

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuier.

Planes Assist Nationalists In Successful Attack

CovyriQtii)

Received Tuesday, 10.20 ajn. HONG KONG, Dec. 19. Kunming, the capital of Yunhan ■Frovince, was recaptured hy the Nationalists this afternoon. Assisted by air force p:anes from Hainan, the Nationalist Eighth and Twenty-sixth Armies began an at-^ tack on the Kunming City wall at 1.30 p.m. and an hour later the entire city was surrounded except for the west gate, where retreating defectionists on 60 trucks were straffed from the air, suffering heavy casualties. The city was completely occupied by 4.30 p.m. The ofiicial central news agency says that widespread damage was done to airfleld installations' on the outskirts of the city, but grounded planes -were found intaet. It is reported that Yunnan's Governor, Lu Han, has been .dismissed from all his posts because of "his rebellion in sympathy with the enemies of the State" and because of the unlawful detention in Yunnan of high Nationalist offlcials and army commanders. ' A" warrant for Lu Han's arrest has been issued. The United States today proclaimed Shanghai and its approaches a "zone of danger" which all American ships should avold. The State Department said the shipping eompanies and ships' masters had received an ofiicial warning that American lives and property should not be exposed to risks in the Shanghai danger zone. The warning followed the recent shelling of American ships by the Chinese Nationalists.