PLANES AID CHINESE ATTACKERS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 264, 6 August 1942, Page 5

PLANES AID CHINESE ATTACKERS

Linchwan Encircled (Received August 5, 7 p.m.) CHUNGKING, August 4. Chinese infantry and American planes co-operated in a damaging attack on Linchwan, in which United States bombers dropped three and a half tons of bombs, including one of 5001 b. squarely on the Japanese army headquarters. During the attacks the American pilots saw Chinese ground forces engaging the enemy and, according to front-line dispatches, the Chinese have completely encircled Linchwan. The nearest Chinese troops are only two miles from the south gate. Chinese forces have recaptured Huwan, 12 miles south-east of Linchwan, inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese. The Japanese entered Sungyang yesterday. The Chinese Minister of Information, Mr. Shih-chied, issued a statement eulogizing the successes of the American Air Force in its first operations in China which, he says, have produced three results: First, the earlier Japanese tactics of menacing China with an unchallenged small air force are no longer feasible. Secondly, the Chinese Army is able to achieve better results, immobilizing an increasing number of Japanese troops. Thirdly, an increasingly important portion of the Japanese Air Force is immobilized in Chinn. The Chinese military spokesman said that general lack of foodstuffs has caused the Japanese forces to inaugurate a widespread campaign to seize the newly-harvested grain. In the Shansi and Hopei provinces the Japanese are kidnapping women and holding them for ransom, which is payable in wheat.