THE AIMS OF JAPAN

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20281, 25 August 1937, Page 7

THE AIMS OF JAPAN

ATTEMPT TO CRUSH CHINESE.

HOPE TO ENTRAP 50,000 DEFENDERS

A DETACHMENT SURROUNDED

(United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright.)

(Received Aug. 25, 11.25 a.m.)

LONDON, August 24

The North China campaign is developing on the anticipated lines, the Japanese objective being to crush the Chinese defenders of the Nankow Pass between the armies advancing north-eastwards in Chih-li and south-eastward in the Chahar province.

The announcement that the Japanese had captured the pass was premature. A battle is now in full progress. The Japanese army from Kalgan, the possession of which is still doubtful, is advancing along the PekingSuiyan railway, hoping to entrap 50,000 Chinese defenders. Prince Teh Wang, chief of the Mongolian Government executive, who is supporting the Japanese, claims to have surrounded a Chinese detachment, inflicting 3000 casualties and suffering 200.

Other Japanese troops from Chahar crossed the mountains west of Pain-tai Liang, driving the Chinese towards the Suiyan railway, which was subsequently bombed from the air.

THE SHANGHAI FRONT NO MAJOR BATTLE EXCHANGE OF BOMBING RAIDS LANDING OF REINFORCEMENTS United Press Assn. — Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received August 25, 11 a.m.) SHANGHAI, August 24. Despite exchanges of bombing raids, anti-aircraft fire from Japanese warships, and the landing of a certain number of Japanese reinforcements, nothing decisive has occurred on the Shanghai front. Though the Japanese claim to have repulsed sporadic attacks, it cannot

CHINESE ROUTED ADVANCE OF JAPANESE EARLY ENTRY INTO KALGAN SEVERAL PLANES SHOT DOWN United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received August 25, 11 a.m.) PEKING, August 24 The Japanese claim that they routed the Chinese at Kalgan, which they expect to enter to-day, forcing the Chinese to retreat towards the Shansi Province. The Japanese also claim that they repulsed 27 Chinese planes at the mouth of the Whangpoo River, and shot down several of the machines.

U A GENERAL ATTACK jj BY LAND, SEA AND AIR ISOME FIERCE FIGHTING NIGHT RAID ON NANKING United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright fj SHANGHAI, August 24 j The Japanese this morning opened I a general attack by land, sea and air, , especially on the Woosung forts. The !j Chinese stubbornly resisted. The \ fiercest fighting occurred on the } Settlement boundary salient, which the Japanese have strongly fortified in the hope that they will be able to smash their way through. The correspondent of the British United Press states that a small force s of Japanese bayonetted a breach through the defence at Ruiho, south of the mouth of the Whangpoo River. The Japanese claim another success at, Woosung and are advancing on the Chapei power station. " The Chinese assert that they wiped out a Japanese division which was ” landing at Woosung last night. , The Japanese cruiser Idumo led off the attack at dawn by bombarding Pootung, where immense fires were soon raging in the Chinese warehouses. I The Chinese artillery, from Kiangwan, L j. started fresh tires in the rich Japanese business quarter of the Settlement. ‘ The Japanese deny that any of their c warships havo been disabled. Japanese seaplanes again conducted a night raid on Nanking. e >’ REAL PUNISHMENT ll DETERMINATION OF JAPAN CHINA MUST APOLOGISE Unite! Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. TOKIO, August 24 “ Japan will not be satisfied until real punishment Is given to China and until China recognises her wrong and apologises for It,” it says the Japan Times in a leading ■- | article, tf j e ; “If the fighting lasts two years e ! It will obviously tax Japan’s man j power and economic strength to n , the utmost.”

yet be said that a major battle has taken place. Furious Attack by Chinese The Fourth Chinese Division furiously attacked the advancing Japanese west of Nankow, but owing to the arrival of Japanese reinforcements were unable to break the line after 24 hours of desperate conflict and heavy rain. Aircraft bombed the Chinese concenirallons here and elsewhere. The Japanese claim to have halted the Chinese offensive south-west ol Peking, also to have successfully counter-attacked in 1 lie Liangh biane sector, driving the Chinese into the mountains. Nevertheless the Japanese spokesman admits that the Chinese are offering strong opposition along the Liangh Siang-Nankoxv railway. Rain is hampering the operations of both sides. BOMB WRECKS A STORE 300 DEAD CARTED AWAY 500 PEOPLE INJURED united press Assn.—F.iec. Tel. Copyrtg-nt. LONDON, Aug. 24 It is reported from Shanghai that 300 dead were carted away in lorries from the seven-storeyed store of the Sincere Company, following the fall of a bomb. Five hundred people were injured. The casualties would have been worse but that the explosion occurred in the luncheon hour. Despatches stale that Admiral llascgawa announced lhal no Japanese guns were firing at the lime the Sincere Company’s building was struck. EPIDEMIC OF CHOLERA. INCREASE IN HONGKONG 162 DEATHS IN WEEK United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. HONGKONG, August 2! The cholera epidemic in Hongkong has seriously increased. In the past week there were 369 cases and 162 deaths. This is nearly twice the total of the previous week.

APPEAL TO COMBATANTS REQUEST BY UNITED STATEB RESORT TO WAR REGRETTED United Press Assn.—Elec. To:. Copyright. WASHINGTON. Auffust 23 The Secretary of State. Mr Cordell Hull, lias formally appealed lo China tu'war for the sell lenient of their dilTereneos. lie lias called allenlion In his sla! 11 ment on July 1(5 and has pointed out that China and Japan were included in Ihe nations who expressed approval of it.

STUBBORN RESISTANCE

HOURS OF DESPERATE FIGHTING CHINESE WILL NOT YIELD ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received August 25, 1 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 24 The Chinese have not yielded ground to any appreciable extent, and their ■stubborn resistance Is preventing the Japanese regulars, though -supported by naval guns, from penetrating tho defensive lines. The onslaught north of the city has not progressed, despite hours of fighting. The inforcements which arrived recently are reputed to aggregate 54,000.

BRITISH TROOPS DEPARTURE FOR SHANGHAI ALSO ITALIAN GRENADIERS United Press Assn—Elec. Tel Copyright. (Received Aug. 25, 1.0 p.m.) HONGKONG, August 24 The First Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment arrived from Singapore, and will leave for Shanghai in the cruiser Suffolk, which will also take an Indian mounted battery from the Hongkong Garrison. A message from Addis Ababa states that the First Battalion of the Savoy Grenadiers, part of the Addis Ababa Garrison, is leaving for Shanghai.

THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES ACCOMMODATION AT SINGAPORE MANY AWAIT ENTRY United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received August 25, 11.45 a.m.) SINGAPORE, August 24. Arrangements are being made here to accommodate Hongkong’s thousands of surplus refugees from China. St. John's Island, Singapore’s quarantine station, with accommodation for 2000, is now overflowing. At present 1500 Chinese from the China cholera zone are aboard vessels in the outer harbour awaiting entry.

CHINESE COMMUNIQUE ARTILLERY BATTLE HEAVY CASUALTIES REPORTED (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The following cablegram has been received from Nanking by the Chinese Consul: — “ A brisk artillery battle took place at Woosung this morning between the Chinese shore batteries and Japanese warships along the coast, ttie Japanese objective being to land reinforcements. “ A Japanese communique claiming that 50.000 troops have landed at various points in ttie vicinity of Shanghai r .s ridiculed Hie military authorities in Chinese military circles. It is stated that all attempted landings of •• In North China, Chinese troops are advancing on Yang-Liuching, 20 kilometres south-west of Tientsin. Japanese Iroops have hitherto been frustrated. a point, northward of Chlnghal. the casualties being reported heavy on both sides. “ The Chinese Government to-day ordered that war prisoners are to he well treated. “ Ominous tension continues at Tsing-tao with the Japanese completing the evacuation of women and chlld- “ Regarding flic shooting incident, at the Japanese Consulate, the general has made a written communication asking for the cnrlv anprehens'on of Hie culprit. The Chinese informed the Japanese lhal a reward or 3<l.uuu dol|,.r< lias been offered f»r the arrest of the culprit. Meanwhile the Tsinghi.» authorities have declared that any .1.-i".ioese wlma Itemnt lo land troops will he resisted by force. • Furious fighting continues in the eastern district of Shanghai, as the Chinese tried to drive back the Japanese to Die river. Chinese tanks were used for the first time.”