The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-23
DRIVE
TURNED BACK
BY DEFENDERS
Positions Are Strengthened
for Death Struggle
at Shanghai.
BY b r. EKINS
United Press staff Correspondent
(Copyright. 1882. by United Pressl

tCopyriRht. 1882. by United Pressl
Wednesday,
Feb. 24.-The Chinese and
Japanese armies strengthened
their forces today for a death
struggle for possession of the
Shanghai delta.
The campaign promised to be
long and deadly. The Japanese,
failing to sweep away the Chinese
army in their first marching drive,
as they had planned, halted the Of
fensive Monday night to await re-
Inducements.
A reliable source said Japan was
ready to send whatever troops were
necessary, ven to five or more g.
visions, which would mean an adj
dition of more than $4,000 men.
Sporadic cannonading went on
early today and some buildings
blazed neal the settlement, but the
situation generally vas quieter.
Strategy Called Poor
Foreigners considered the Japa-
nese strategy poor, since their right
flank was exposed to a Chinese at.
tack from the Woosung concentra-
lions. Advances, therefore, were
considered unlikely until reinforce
mentS arrived.
The Chinese, heartened by their
success of holding off the Japanese
attack, strengthened and consoli-
dated their positions, busily erect
ing trenches and concealed machine
gun nests, presenting the Japanese
with a formidable problem of clear
ing them out without heavy losses.
Four shells, believed fired from
Chinese guns, struck the Italian
battleship Libia Monday night, it
was revealed today.
One of the shells pierced the
Libia's plates a foot above the water
line. Earlier reports were that the
Libia had not been hit, but that
shells were coming SEQ close that
Italian officials had protested to
Chinese military authorities.
Japanese Are Harassed
Chinese continued their harasS-
ing attack on the Japanese after
suspension of the offensive, but
never in any considerable force.
Shippers were busy behind the
Chinese lines. One bullet struck a
Stovepipe at the Japanese headquar-
ters during the morning.
Gen. Kenkchi Uyeda, commando
ing the Japanese Ninth division,
remained in the Tazang area, keep
ing his headquarters at a Buddhist
temple at Thienlo.
1t was obvious before the Jap
anese offensive was suspended that
the Nipponese soldiers were making
little progress through the fiat,
muddy country, cut by creeks and
canals. Tanks were ineffective.
Aerial bombing failed to dislodge
the nineteenth route army units.
Japanese Hurled Back
The japanese had stated, when
their offensive began Saturday, that
they expected to encircle the Chinese
defenses by Wednesday. Tazang was
the immediate japanese objective.
The action there envisaged an n
circling movement to surround
Chenju, headquarters of the nine
tenth Chinese route army.
The Japanese opened the fourth
day of their offensive with a heavy
artillery barrage. Brigade headquar-
tiers had been advanced to the
front during the night. Gen. Uyeda
was up in the lines with his men.
The bombardment began at 10
a. m. and lasted for an hour, with
the Chinese doing their best to du-
plicate the firing. At IL a. m.
the wave of g~reen-clad japanese in
fantrymen attacked, rushing out of
their lines toward the Chinese posi-
tons.
Chinese Positions Strong
They found the enemy reinforced
and strongly intrenched. The ia
panese command decided to send
reinforcements into the sector be-
fore attempting further advances.
Japanese airplanes twice bombed
Hungjiao airdrome, southwest of
Of the French concession. duriro he
early morning. Two direct hits
shattered buildings and sent debris
into the air.
The first attack began at $50
a. m. when three planes 81 oned
over the airdrome and let loose
three cargoes of destruction. Just
before noon, five japanese Dor rers
and three pursuit planes came hack
over Hungjiao and the bonbers
smashed several other buildings.
The Chinese claimed that they
had no airplanes in the airdrome
hangers and that all their ma.
chimes had been removed from
Hungjiao a week ago.
Calm in Chapel
An unusual calm descended on
Chapel early in the evening. The
Chinese and Japanese batteries had
exchanged heavy bombardmenta
during the day.
The quiet at Chapel contrasted
strongly with the events Of the