CHINESE OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 April 1939, Page 8

CHINESE OFFENSIVE

PROSPECTS OF THE RECAPTURE OF CANTON Japanese Striving to Avert Encirclement HEAVY FIGHTING IN SEVERAL PROVINCES By Telegraph—Press Association. —Copyright. (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 14. The Shanghai correspondent of ‘'The Times” says that although the outcome of the Chinese general offensive is not yet assessable, the Chinese clearly maintain the initiat’ve. They are apparently about to recapture Canton, on which they arc driving after taking Tsengshing and Sheklung. The Japanese have evacuated the aerodrome and are making desperate efforts to prevent encirclement They have plunged into a major defensive battle around Fungchung and Kiufu, fifteen miles north-west of the city. The Chinese offensives in the provinces of Shansi, Hupeh, Honan and Kiangsi continued in a full flood of victory. Casualties since the inception of the offensive are computed at 60,000 Chinese and 48,000 Japanese killed and wounded. Street fighting in Kaifeng, which the Chinese invaded after mopping up the Japanese in the outskirts, resulted in 700 Japanese casualties. Heavy fighting continues in Chungsiang and Yangshih.