Evening star., 1932-02-27
kiangsDan Holds Out
Despite Japanese
Claim, of Its Fall
BY MORRIS ]. HARRIS,
Associated Press STAFF Correspondent.

noSOSldLeQ EIcSh SLhu CORRESPONDENT.
Copyright, 1892, by the Associated Press)
SHANGHAI, February ~ Pl.-De-
plte Japanese claims that they had cap
tured the Western end of Kiangwan
village, the stubborn Chinese garrison
In that beleaguered town was still hold
ing on at II o'clock tonight.
Ths Associated Press correspondent
went out there and saw for himself the
parade Of Chinese stretcher bearers
carrying wounded out of the village. 1t
was testimony enough that the town
was not yet surrounded, although the
japanese had said they had thrown a
line around it and occupied the Western
section.
Supplies for the small defending gar
rison were coming in from Miaochung-
chem, running a gauntlet Of machine
gun fire from both sides. E5ere the
Japanese had swung around in an effort
to cut off the village. The Chinese, how
ever, still kept the neck of the bottle
open.
HOneycOmbed With Pits.
This correspondents observations
established that the opposing lines ex-
tended in a gentle curve from Woosung
to a point nearly a mile east of Mao
chungchen, thence south to Kiangwan
and eastward around the village to its
southern limits, thence south to Chapel.
The whole area between the Kiang-
wan front and Tachang, four miles to
the west, was honeycombed with artil-
lery pits shielding the bursts of light
from field pieces There also were many
machine gun nests.
Northward toward the Liuhang
hinterland the territory also was heavily
fortified and Swarming with soldiers.
Tachang, the objective of several
japanese air raids in the past few days,
was evacuated by civilians and the
town had become a clearing station for
casualties
The village of Miaochungchen, or
what was left of it after a week of
bombardment, was still in Chinese
hands. Although the Japanese have
claimed for several days that they con-
trolled this strategic point their front
lines actually were three-quarters Of
a mile to the east.
Brick Walls Totter.
The brick walls of the buildings we're
tottering, but the garrison of 5000
Chinese soldiers, encouraged by their
success in beating off the furious at
tack, seemed prepared to hold out in
definitely. The village was a maze Of
well built trenches and barbed wire en-
tanglements and the troops were ade-
quately supplied with food and am
munition.
The enemy planes gave the Chinese
lines day of relaxation and in a tour
of the front, which lasted for several
hours, only three air craft were to
be seen. These dropped less than q
dozen bombs west of Kiangwan.
Japanese announcement that Kiang-
wan had fallen was made at the
end OF day of comparative quiet along
the Shanghai front, punctuated by few
sporadic SpurtS of gunfire and marked
by the landing of small force of Japa-
nese reinforcements at the wharves in
the Whangpoo River.
The reinforcements were brought in
on supply ship which carried large
quantities of ammunition and other
equipment for the invading army.
Shortly before daylight the Chinese
batteries in Chapel started a heavy
Shelling of the Japanese positions in
Hongkew. The bomDardment lasted
only short time, however, and drew
little response from the Japanese guns.
Afterwards the whole battlefront be-
came quiet.
A few Japanese airplanes flew over
the line, but the Chinese machine guns
and anti-aircraft guns did not fire At
1880 am. Japanese broke the quiet to
toss a few shells in the direction of
Kiangwan. The bombardment ended
abruptly, however, and quiet prevailed
again
Following the arrival of the REIN
forcementS this afternoon, a report
was circulated that considerable num-
Der OF japanese troops have arrived in
similar fashion during the last few days,
being brought in on the supply ships
which have docked here almost daily.
The claim made by the Japanese yes
terday that they had surrounded Kiang-
wan was not upheld by observation to-
day, and their claim this afternoon that
they had captured the village was taken
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