JAPANESE DEFEAT HELD CERTAIN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 191, 11 May 1944, Page 5

JAPANESE DEFEAT HELD CERTAIN

Battle For Kohima SHATTERED ENEMY DREAM ('By Telegraph.—Press Assu.—Copyright.) (Received May 10, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Every report from the Assam front points to a crushing Japanese defeat in the battle for Kohima, says the “Daily Mail’s” Ceylon correspondent. Battered enemy units, outgunned and outmanoeuvred, are facing annihilation by massed Allied forces "and Tokio’s dream of seizing Indian bases before the monsoon breaks has been shattered. Already more than half the Japanese troops have been destroyed. Planes, artillery and infantry are concentrated against them, and our tanks are rolling straight over their positions, smashing or blowing them up. Their casualties have been out of all proportion to the weight of their attack and continue mounting. They have no tanks and little hope of getting armour to their surrounded troops. There are also signs that their food, arms and supplies are running short. “The Japanese are trapped and must either withdraw or be annihilated." said Sir Sultan Ahmed, information member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, at a Press conference in New Delhi after a visit to the Imphal and Arakan fronts. “I have the fullest confidence that the Japanese will be completely defeated. There is no danger of invasion of India. Our position on the eastern front has never been stronger. A steady stream of supplies is reaching our troops.” The confidence of the British and Indian troops, also the Allies’ overwhelming supply of weapons, armoured strength and the aircraft inipressed Sir Sultan Ahmed, who said the Indians, man for man, were superior to the Japanese. ■ Following the recent unsuccessful enemy counter-attacks, our operations to clear the enemy from the vicinity of Kohima continued during May 8. states a South-east Asia eojnmunique. In the period of May 4-6 750 Japanese dead were counted, and further heavy casualties have been inflicted since that date. In all sectors round the Imphal Plain we have obtained local successes.

JAPS FORCED BACK Counter-Offensive South Of Loyang LONDON, May 9. The Chinese have launched a successful counter-offensive south of Loyang and driven the Japanese back across the Y'iyl River, say field dispatches received in Chungking. The Yiyi River is a tributary of the Yellow River, seven miles from Loyang. A Chungking communique has confirmed field reports that the enemy is completely repulsed southward of Loyang with heavy casualties, including the commander of a tank regiment. Ten tanks were destroyed. The Japanese have captured Tengfen. Chinese troops are engaging another enemy column, driving westward from Linjtt towards lyarig. The Chinese Press claims that a Japanese force on the night of May 3 was wiped out in attempting to cross the Yellow River from .Shansi. 45 miles north-east of Loyang. Bitter fighting is reported 35 miles south-east of Loyang, where the Japanese are trying to battle their way through the hills toward an important railway town on one of the main railways to the west. No change has been reported in the battle for the last stretch of the Peking-Hankow railway, still in Chines; hands. Fighting has flared up in west Yunnan, says a Chungking message. After the Canture of Yencheng Japanese units are continuing their advance. General Stilwell’s communique reports that Chinese and American airmen have concentrated their operations in the Yellow River area against troops and vehicles to the rear of the enemy lines, causing many casualties and destroying or damaging many trucks. Chinese and American bombers, with fighter escort, raided Hankow aerodrome, firing the installations and causing large explosions. Thirty enemy aircraft attempted interception and several of them were shot down.