GATES TAKEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 5

GATES TAKEN

-P««s Assn.

Attack On Nanking JAPANESE SUCCESS Blood Flows in Streets as Chinese Meet Invaders U.S. TRUCE PROPOSAL

(By Telegravh-

— Copyrigot.)

(Received 11, 10.30 a.m.) NANKING, Dec. 10. The city gates, which it is claimed have' been captured> will give the Japanese aceess to the most populous part of the city. The United States Embassy, it is leported, is transmitting to the Chinese and Japanese intemational committees a proposal for a three-days truce to enable the Chinese to withdraw, during which. time the Japanese must not attack. Thd Japanese flag flies over the walls of Nanking, but blood runs in the cobbled streets as Chinese troops stand desperately against Japanese _ troops •xultant over the honour of being the first to enter the historic walled city. Throughout the day the Japanese rained hombs from the air. Guas put up a hgavy barrage for their advancing troops, who, supported by tanks, charged through a breach in the Gate of Glory, showing great gallantry. Qther bodies are trying to foree a way in from the north-east and south. The Japanese clainx that they have already seized six of the city's gates and have penetrated the inner city. A communi que froni Imperial headquarters announced that the troops were comman.de d by Prince Yasuh Foasaka, §on-in-law of the Emperor. Two Japanese observation balloons appeared south of Purple Mountaia this afternoon and remained aloft despite all attempts by the Chinese to bring them down. At Pukow, bombs fell near the United States gunboat Panay during an aerial attack on the city. The explosions rocked the ship, The detachment which forced the gate afc Nanking received a message from General Matsui: "Hearty cougratulations. I appreciate your successinl attainment of a difficult task." The encirclement of Nanking by the Japanese is complete and the ring is elpsing in. According to the Japanese spokesman, the Japanese earlier eaptured the Tachiao aerodrome and an infantry cpliege half a mile from the eastem gates of the city, There was furious flghtiug during the night. It is estimated that 340,000 Japanese will be esgaged. The Japanese vanguards reached the Unicorn and Morning Sunshine gates in the outer wall, and a big force pushed on towards the Gate of Glory. Many Chinese are Teported to be utterly exhausted. They are short of food and are freezing. The Japanese captnred Liushoushan, or Oxhead Mountain. a celebrated summer iesort nine miles south of Nanking, and also occupied Yanktsun, 10 miles to the south. The naval bombardment of Nanking fs expeeted. A Japanese fiotilla of destroyers broke the Yangtse boom at Kiangyin and is at present attempting to force the second boom at Chingkiang. The Japanese have warned foreign ships to keep away. If the waTships break the second boom they will cut o£E the last avenue of escape from Nanking. ▲ Tokio message says that the only peace procedure acceptable to Japan is an approach from China, whereupon Japan will state her terms, "All that any third party can do to expedite peace is to pereuade Nanking to enter into direet negotiations with Tokio/' deplared the Japanese Foreign OfQ.ce spokesman, who admitted that Germany was trying to persuade Nanking along this line. He added: "I do not know whether such action is concerted or individual, but it is only natural that Britain, Germany, Italy and others with large interests in the Far East should be active in persuading China to sue for peace, and we are awaiting the regults." The Chinese record successes west and south of the principal theatre of war, and their mobile units have captured Pdnshien, Putai, Changwa, Wuti in Eastern Shantung, Yensham. Ohinyun and Tsangchien in Southern Hopei, and Ljnhu and Nanzin south of Taihu.