MASS ATTACK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 186, 24 August 1937, Page 7

MASS ATTACK

Press Assti.-

Japanese Scheme BIG LOSSES SO FAR Chinese Prepare Retirement for Decisive Battle RELIEF OF SHANGHAI

(By 'felegraph1^

-Cbpyright.'

(Received 24, 11.40 h.m.) SHANCHAI, Aug. 23. The Japanese military spokesman aiiiioiinces that the Japanese afe contemplating a mass attack. The Chinese determinedly with* stood the Japanese after their landings at Luiho and Woosung, which Japanese warships cbvered by firing 500 heavy shelis. The Chinese awaited the invaders at a dozen different points on the riverside and eiigaged them in close fighting for hotlrs before falling baek. After this the Japatiese established field headqitarters at the Wenehaopang railway station with the intention of rcIieving the hard-pressed sailors and marines in the front line.. The Japanese suffered severely at Liulio and WooSUng but captUred the terminus of the military high* vvay from Woosung to Yangtsepoo. The Chinese' announce their strategie retirement to defensive positions for a decisive battle to relieve the Japanese pressure on Shanghai. The Japanese, on the other hand, hope to smash the Chinese before they can perform this strategie withdrawal. A large party of Chinese marines landed at Taingtao and occupied positions in erder to resist & possible Japanese landing. Mixed Chinese forceg estimated at 25,000 are enclosing the city and constructing iortilieations. Incidents at Shanghai include a bomb Btriking a roof next door to Hamilton Houae, the temporary headquatters of the British consulate, the projeetile tearing through three floors and starting a Are, which was extinguished. Passengers aboard the Shanghai Maru saw Japanese soldiers on a riverside Wharf shdot, bayonet and toss into the Whangpoo river four trussed and kneeling Chinese, probably captured snipers. unina's Smashing Air Victory. Three. Japanese aireraft carriers, With 106 warplanes, have arrived off the coasfc at Chekiang, The Japanese are Concentrating round the Hungsing cotton mills ftnd also Yangtse-poo, where the Yangtsopoo creek flows into the Whangpoo. They are buiiding dofences and rushiiig up artillery. A incssage from Jfanking says thafc foreign military and naval oflicers made an inspection of Nanking aerodromes, Which showed that the Japanese claims conceming the destrnctioii of hangars and many aeroplanos aiO largely baseless. The damage is limited to oue training plane at the Chuyang air basc. A Chinese pilot btought down four Japanese planes single-handed. The cvidence shoWS that the Chinese scored a sniashing air victory. It is ofiicially stated 34 Japanese planes were brought down, including 25 heavy bombers. The Chinese losses are Under 20.

Slianghal s ordeal of apprelicilsion continues for the eitizens wliile the opposing Chinese and Japanese forces assemble for a decisive eucoiinter. The authorities have established that it was an air bomb and not a, shell which caused the havoc in the Intefnational Settlement in wreckiiig Sineere's stofe. Battles Itn NWth OHinai The Japanese in North Chiha are hurling their 1'brCes into a great battle for the Nankow Pass, the Cliitiese possession oi which cuts off the Japanese troops at Peking flom their Manchukuo army. The Times Tokio eorrespondent says that the Japanese troops' operations along the Suiyan railway, north-west of Peking, have now been almost successful. The liienade frditt Kalgan to the Japanese riahfc llaiik has been averted. The Japabese, ivho erossed the Gfeat Wai!, oceupi*d Wunehuan, a strategie town 10 milos wost of Aulgun, and hold Nankow.