Imperial Valley press., 1932-03-01
FIERCE FIGHTING
STILL CONTINUES
Peace Rumors Fail To Materialize AS Both Armies
Keep Pounding Away With Air And Land At
tacks On Large Scale.

the Whangpoo river in front OF
the International Settlement today
with slight damage to the Japa-
nese destroyer Obi. They shook
the flagship of Admiral Kichisa-
buro Nomura.
The flagship was not damaged,
despite the terrific explosion about
100 yards distant. 1t was moored
alongside the japanese consulate
general.
Japanese searching parties were
lowered Immediately from war
ships in the river to look for more
bombs or mines. The Japanese
claimed the explosions were
touched off from Pootung, on the
Whangpoo opposite the Interna-
tional Settlement.
The charge conceded with recent
reports that Chinese were concen-
trating in the area, to oppose pas
sage of japanese transports. They
were said to be concentrating ma
chine gun units and snipers at
Pootung although they were not
believed to have sufficiently big
guns to block passage.
Meanwhile the main force of
the japanese eleventh division of
approximately 10000 men had been
landed from the Yangtze river, 20
miles above Woosung forts. The
division prepared to join the ninth
division and japanese marines in a
renewed attack on the TaZang and
Chapel sectors.
Japanese ninth division head
quarters claimed the infantry ad-
vanced to within about one mile
of Tazang after heavy aerial bonn
bardment. The japanese admitted
heavy casualties.
Capture Positions
Division headquarters said the
japanese had captured Chinese
positions at Hsiamiwan, Luichai-
kai, Nangyangchow and Peyang-
kou.
japanese marine casualties to
date were announced as follows:
Army, 104 killed and 975 wounded;
navy, lis killed and $50 wounded.
Total dead, 2l9; total wounded,
1905.
The heavy bombardment of
Chapel, just outside the settlement,
rocked office buildings in the In
ternational area SO sharply that
many residents feared it was an
earthquake.
japanese naval headquarters
claimed marines had occupied the
Chinese position of Patzujao in
the Chapel area and several con-
nectionS between Chinese troops in
the Chapel and Kiangwan areas,
about seven miles apart. The Chi
nese defenders of Chapel were
strongly entrenched in the ruins.
There was bitter fighting.
While rumorS were current of
peace or negotiations for a truce,
the Japanese military appeared
determined to beat their diplo-
matte representatives to the joint
objectives of the two services-to
force the Chinese back 12A miles
from the settlement.
In cool clear weather, the Japa-
nese ninth division command
started another big push with in
fantry. tanks and artillery against
the Tazang defenders. Airplanes
went aloft with good visibility to
bomb the Chinese lines.
The tanks attempted to crush
first line Chinese defenses. They
had not been very effective in
former operations for the ground
is low and swampy and cut by
canals and creeks.
The japanese apparently de-
cided not to risk trying to run
their transports past Woosung and
Lion forest forts although the
Notifications had been subjected
to terrific rain of aerial bombs
Saturday and were repeatedly
shelled from the river. If the
troops had been brought into the
Whangpoo, they might have been
landed near the Tazang sector.