THREAT TO CHINESE KEYPOINT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 26 June 1944, Page 5

THREAT TO CHINESE KEYPOINT

" Japanese Advancing

(Received June 25, 9.15 p.m.) ' CHUNGKING, June 24. Hengshan, the last important stronghold before Hengyang, has probably ' fallen, it was indicated in a communique today. Fighting is proceeding along the Siang River, about 20 miles to the nortji-north-east. Fighting is also raging four and a half miles southward and 12 miles south-eastward of Hengshau. Possibly the Japanese intend to by-pass Hengyang. General Stilwell’s communique says that, co-operating with the troops defending Hen’yang, Warhawks of the Fourteenth Air Force attacked Japanese supply columns. A triple-decked steamer on the Siang River was heavily strafed and probably sunk, there being numerous casualties. Other troop-carrying boats were also damaged and Japanese cavalry and infantry were strafed near Siangtan. Serious Situation. CHUNGKING, June 23. Thousands of Chinese civilians are fleeing from Hengyang, reports the Associated Press. Chinese quarters in Chungking do not attempt to conceal their belief that the situation is serious. There is some feeling that the fight for Hengyang may well become a virtual battle for China. Several American and other foreign agencies have already transferred from Kijkong, the provisional capital ot z Kwangtung. to Kweilin, the provisional capital of Kwangsi. The Japanese forces are only 2o miles north-east of Hengyang and are now closing in on this railway junction, said a Chinese Army spokesman. Six Japanese divisions, approximately 120,000 troops, are engaged in this all-out drive aimed at dividing China and capturing the entire Canton-Hankow railway. The spokesman said the position had become stabilized in western Honan through the Chinese recapture of Lingpao, on the Lunghai railway near the western border, and of Sunghsien. Fighting continues, however, both east and west of the Peking-Hankow route. A Chinese communique states that all the Japanese forces have been driven west and south of the Shwell River. One advanced Chinese unit has reached a point 10 miles south of Tengcliung. However. reinforced Japanese from Lungling have attacked Chinese troops along the Burma Road,