JAP OFFENSIVE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1933, Page 5

JAP OFFENSIVE

HEAVY FIGHTING

CHINESE SUFFER BIG LOSSES.

(United Press Association -By Llectric 'leitegj-apii— copyright,.;

SHANGHAI, January 4. Peking despatches report tiiat the city ot snummikwan, in.tne JNo.tn Cmna pyro vince of Uiuflii, fell into the lnuicls ol the Japanese yesterday, 1 and that , the cityjis notv only-., a heap >,do smoking rums. ; .•% « M • It is reported that five ; hundred".ofu the Chinese troops have been wiped out, whne the suirerings of tne mvi-ian population ot the city are very sevpie. i'ne Japanese emp.oyed. tanns m tne city, during two hours m which tiiere was the hardest of street fighting. The southern city wail was completely flattened out. According to the Chinese Eastern Railway authorities, tne Japanese are cleaning the eastern section of tne line, and tuey already have reached Pogranicnnaya.

It is expected that they :will now turn northward, and will complete bandit suppression. Some quarters believe that the Japanese will shortly start a double drive both north and south, one drive commencing at Tientsin and mowing northwards of the Great AV all, and the other starting from bhanhaikwan, and moving south-west, hoping thereby s to clear Northern China of General Chang’s forces, and eventually s ; of t completely occupying Jehol, thereby eliminating the young Marshal’s influence in the last area of Manchuria. The text of a so-called Japanese ultimatum, which has been officially released, accused the Chinese ’troops or throwing grenades, and firing upon Japanese gendarmes, it' also declares that the Chinese are sending large numbers of troops to Jehol m preparation for hostile action agkinst Japan. The ultimatum stresses-the possibility of grave consequences, which might involve the whole of North China in disaster. •* ''

Regarding the Japanese''’ultimatum aliready'cabled, the Chinese, in reply, assert that the incident at Shanhaikwan started I 'when the Japanese gendarmerie threw bombs into Shanhaikwan city, the Manchukuo troops then opening fire. ‘ ■ • The Chinese have expresesd the opinion that the affair 'was pre-arranged, and that Japan must bear the full responsibility. '

The Chinese reply concludesV “If Japan desires to have further communications, they should be addressed to the Chinese National GdVerrilfieiif', and hot to the Young Marshal in Manchuria.

JAPAN LAYS BLAME ON CHINA, TOKYO, January 4. The latest' despatches , %tfte that fighting has ceased at Shaiikaikwan, The Japanese War Office states that it is anxious ,to avoid the spreading r of hostilities, and it points out that Chinese troops, cf whom there are fifteen thousand in the Shanhaikwan neighbourhood, unprovokedly attacked a Japanese force numbering seven V . hundred and fifty, who were guarding / the railway. It i s hoped, states: the War Office, to regard the affair as a local incident provided that the Chinese do not renew the attack.

VIEWS IN BERLIN PRESS. JAPAN’S DISREGARD FOR LEAGUE (Received 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, January 4. The Berlin Press is closely -idtlowing events in the Far East. The ' “Vossische Zeitung” .states that Japan feels herself safe, in that the great powers cannot at present be drawn 'from their own reserve. > America alone was not in a position to cope with Japan. No doubt battle developing in the Far East deeply affects Europe t The “Tages Zeitung”. says that Jap- " an’s latest operation is Jintended to show the United States, and the League of Nations that Tokio has not the slightest .regard for Geneva, and is acting only in accordance - with fiev own interests.

CRISIS OF EXTREME; GRAVITY,

CHINESE MINISTER’S COMMENT

(Received Jan. sth. at 11 a.m.) LONDON, January 5. Mr Quo Taichi, Chinese Minister at

London, commenting on the Shanhai- _ kuan iniC’flei'.it ,«>ays: “I shan’t, be surprised .if, when, the Assembly meets again, the Japanese troops are pouring inside ’the Great:*.Wall into-? ■ tile' Pekin and Tientsin/areas. .-I ■ isi; The “Times’” 'Washington correspondent says that it is generally believed that a crisis of extreme gravity in the far east is almost inevitable.

BRITISH BOATS GIVEN ORDERS

HEAVY CASUALTIES REPORTED. (Received Jan. sth. at 10.50 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 4. Tine British gun-boats, Bridgewater V and Folkestone have been ordered to J Chin Wang T; :> to protect British interests there. The Japanese appeared some miles south of the Great Wall at Shanliaiki’ian. Armoured trains are patrolling lalmsot as far south at Chinuangtno, plough the latest reports justify the

hope that the incident may still be localised. All is quiet a:t Shanhaikunn following the Japanese occupation. The Chinese loops have now withdrawn to Chang'd where they are reforming. Chinese officials estimate military casualties in the Shnibaikuan at EDO. The civilian casualties are unknown, but are described as extremely heavy. A whole battalion of troops is reported to have been wiped out while hundreds of civilians are said to have been killed by the terrific Japanese bombardment,