JAPANESE DRIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1943, Page 3

JAPANESE DRIVE

SLOWED DOWN OR CHECKED IN CHINA HEAVY CASUALTIES INFLICTED. ENEMY UNIT ANNIHILATED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 20. A Chungking communique says that Chinese troops are holding up the Japanese drive to the west on the Burma Road in Yunnan. Bloody fighting is also taking pice in Kiangsu Province, and the Chinese troops have been driven back in the south Hupeh area. Later reports say that the Chinese for the second time have recaptured Shapingwu, in north China, and they also have routed a three-pronged column which was striking north and west of Canton. The Japanese have resumed a drive to the south from Kineli. A Japanese unit which was attempting to make a surprise attack at Kaoan, in Kiangsi Province was encircled and annihilated. A land-mine blew up a troop train from Soochow, killing more than 100 Japanese. A Chinese communique yesterday stated 'that all the Japanese drives in central, southern and south-western China had slowed down or had been thrown into reverse. Costly fighting continued in some areas. The communique reported the rout of a Japanese column in northern. Kiaugsi, the Chinese mounter-attacked and hurled back an enemy force which was' endeavouring to advance from Fengsin. The Japanese casualties were heavy. JAPANESE PLANS POSSIBILITIES IN CHINESE THEATRE. VITAL AIRFIELD AT STAKE. NEW YORK, February 20. “As the end of the fighting season in Burma approaches, Japanese undertakings in China may be more ambitious than last year if Tokio has decided to go on the defensive in the South Pacific and concentrate on the improvement of her mainland positions,” says the New York “Herald-Tribune” in an editorial. It says that Japan's first concern would undoubtedly be the capture of the airfields from which General Chennault, with the 500 planes that he hopes to get, could make life miserable for Japan. “It remains to be seen whether Japan is intending to concentrate on Chinese objectives only, or is planning to improve her defences for an attack on Siberia. Chungking, however, appears convinced that Japan has abandoned the idea of an attack on Russia and will give China her undivided attention, in which case there will be work for those 500 planes,” it says.