China Confident For 1940

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 1, 2 January 1940, Page 7

China Confident For 1940

Favourable Turn In Fighting Expected JAPS’ PRECARIOUS HOLD ON NANNING United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Monday, 9.20 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 1. Japan’s capture of Nanning and the Kwangtung offensive made China’s outlook for 1940 more unfavourable than two months ago, says the Chungking correspondent of the New York Times. Yet the nation confronts the New Year with a widespread determination t-o continue the fight and with justifiable hopes of ultimato success. It is unlikely that any Japanese military operations could extinguish the Chungking regime or force it to surrender wliilo the leaders are resolved to continue. It is possible that early in 1940 will see a change in the military situation auspicious for China continuing her attacks on Nanning and making the Japanese hold precarious. Its recapture is not impossible and the Kwangtung drive may end in tho defeat of the Japanese if pushed too far. The Chinese believe they have' accumulated war supplies sufficient until 1941 whatever happens to their communication s. Japanese ’planes bombed the Frenchowned Indo-Chinn-Yunnan railway during a raid on M.eutze, 50 miles from the French border. The damage is not extensive. Mengtze had been previously been bombed, but the railway had not been attacked. The French are carrying out aerial patrols over the IndoChina border. The United States naval attacho Major J. M. McHugh) reports that a quarter of Lanchow has been wiped out in three successive days of raiding, during which 1100 bombs were dropped. The casualties were about thirty. Tho Shanghai correspondent of the American United Press states that tho Japanese captured tho strategic town of Yingtak on the Canton-Hankow railway as part of a co-ordinated campaign to crush the Chinese in the Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces.