THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER
BATTLE STILL RAGING ON SOOCHOW CREEK Months Of Trench Warfare Envisaged In Future
"MAGINOT LINE" READY IN EVENT OF RETREAT
CHIANG'S THE NEW THREAT
COMPLETE OPTIMISM
FROM CHAPU
Shanghai, To-day. Fighting on the south bank of the Soochow Creek continues, with the Japanese having thrown an estimated force of 50,000 infantry, heavily sup- Nanking To-day ported by tanks, into action.
General Chiang Kai-shek, at the
CENSUS OF JAPANESE GOODS
Canton, To census of Japanese factured goods in Canton, taken to-day, when
selected men
visite the dent.
all commercial-
Own Co
HARBOUR SAFE AGAINS With withdrawal of the Chinese is again safe for shipping, and it is
forces from Pootung, the harbor la expected that the principal British
Deuter
Should a Chinese retreat in this sector become press conference, expressed optim necessary for strategic reasons, it is believed that and American shipping lines - will ism concerning the military situa- they will fall back on the Kating-Nanziang defence soon again call at Shanghai. tion, and reaffirmed China's deter line, prepared several months ago, and which has POOTING SITUATION mination to continue the struggle been so strengthened in recent weeks that it will until justice had been re-establish present the Japanese with a fresh problem. ed in the Far East.
Behind this line of defences, a further Chin-doubtful as two launches, ese "Hindenburg" or "Maginot" line has been con- structed between Quinsan and Kashing.
Queried concerning the present military outlook, the Generalis simo replied that the plan of
Foreign military observers believe this line to be an almost unsurmountable obstacle to the Jap
Chinese resistance was to reserve her fighting power and at the same time to exhaust the enemy.
He said temporary gains or re- anese. verses would not affect the final out- come as long as China's capability of resistance was intact.
JAPAN'S LOSSES
Should the opposing armies clash along this line, trench warfare lasting many months may be expected. Trans-Ocean.
Wen College,
Japanese
THREE COLUMNS University in China, have been tota
The Generalissimo said: “As far as Shanghai and Woosung are con- cerned, there were not natural geo- graphical advantages nor strong for-
ly destroyed by fire, alleged to have tifications to facilitate our defence,
Shanghai, To-day been of incendiary origin. yet we were able to hold the enemy It is now certain, Trans-Ocean
Chinese troops prevented for a long time in spite of their learns from a reliable foreign mili-
the modern-armaments by land, air and tary source, that the Japanese have fighters from
ettlement from thrown ashore at least 30,000 troops Japanese losses were pro in their landing in Hangchow Bay, scene. bably the heaviest they have suffer which has caused such a dramatic ed since the Russo-Japanese War. change in the war situation on the
PAID DEARLY
Shanghai front."-
The Japanese forces have paid This force is now marching on dearly for the stretch of territory Shanghai in three columns, and has in the Shanghai area and are re already achieved its first objective- stricted to the neighbourhood of the clearing of Pootung of Chinese the railway lines."
troops before going into action in Shanghai
Regarding the Brussels Confer- the Generalissimo said: "I am
BEING REINFORCED. Armly convinced that the forces of Foreign observers seem to think righteousness and justice, once set that unless swift action is in motion, will not fail to achieve taken it is highly improbable their desired goals, and I believe anything can stop their advance the Conference will accomplish Shanghai, especially as they worthy results-Beuter.
NEW TO BE GIVEN CHALLENGE
THREAT
Shanghai, To-day.
Chinese report,
Chinese are massing an
body of troops
in order to meet the
are
being reinforced with fresh bodies
of troops
Motor-road tween Shang seems to hav
and Hangchow interrupted by the new advance, as a foreign party proceeding to Hangchow on Satur- day had to turn back since the roa Dear Kashing
Funder panese artiller
Japanese troops from all
the
that the regi
short time
SOOCHOW CREEK BOMBARDMENT
o-day west
Shanghai To-day. Whether the Chinese troops have entirely evacuated Pootung ret
tempted to disembark
troops at a wharf on the side yesterday afternoon
sisted and driven off by machinegun fire.
According to one report, the Cata- ese military authorides have
ordered the abandonment of Po ting, but some of Chines
have been transfer. to Sun ang in order to check vance from the sou
Chinese
states that only a
spanese invaders reach kang, and they were ear
A severe battle
a point about
the Shanghai-H
Hua Nan
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