ACROSS YELLOW RIVER

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 192, 12 May 1944, Page 5

ACROSS YELLOW RIVER

New Japanese Thrust In Honan (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received' May 11, 8.35 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. A Japanese force from Shansi Province has crossed to the south bank of the Yellow River and Is attacking heavily north-west of Loyang in an apparent attempt to close a pincers on Loyang in conjunction with the column attacking from the south-west, says the Chinese High Command in Chungking. Severe fighting is progressing. The High Command indicated earlier that the Chinese have almost lost their grip on the Peking-Hankow railway. Two strong" Japanese columns, striking from the south beyond Chumatieu ahd from the north beyond Suiping, are les s than 14 miles from making a junction. Appealing to the Allies for. quick assistance to alleviate the suffering of the Chinese, who on July 7 will enter the eighth year of their war, Chang Plug Huaii, counsellor of the Executive Yuan, declared that the Japanese had molibized 50,000 to 60,000 of their best troops in Honan, with 200 tanks, hundreds of armoured ears, and 1500 trucks, whereas the Chinese were fighting on foot, with insufficient heavy arms. He added that the Chinese could not win without the necessary weapons. The army and the people were making immense sacrifices. It was high time, the Allies stopped the Chinese sufferings by increasing the supply of armaments. China realized that the Allies’ assistance was limited by transport, so “let us opefi the Burma Road, but before opening it let us have more transport . planes with which to bring more sunplies.” Chungking reports that Major-Gen-eral Chennault’s air force has again strafed Japanese strongpoints and columns. Chungking hud an air raid tonight for tlie first time this year.