Evening star., 1933-02-27
JEHOL CITY BY MARCH 10.
japanese Officers, Encouraged by Rapid
Progress, Set Goal

japanese Officers, Encouraged by Rapid
Progress, Set Goal.
CHINCHOW, Manchuria, February 27
R.-Encouraged by the rapid sweep OF
divisions under Lieut.. Gems. Yoshikazu
Nishi and Masayemon Sakamoto and
Maj. Gen. Kennosuke Mogi's cavalry
brigade, Japanese officers were boast
ing today that they will occupy Jehol
City on March 10, anniversary of the
1905 battle of Mukden in the Russo
japanese War.
These forces were approaching the
| important mountain passes Of Lingyuan
| and Chihfeng, above halfway points
| in their advances across Jehol de-
scribed as the last important line OF
the Chinese defense.
Japanese officers said the progress OF
| their troops was easier and cheaper
than the high command hoped for.
| The Mukden anniversary Is the army S
memorial day.
Such confidence persists despite the
fact that an infantry brigade under
Mai. Gen. Hiejiro Hattori was checked
| was lasting all morning. 1t was the
| first place where japanese tested the
mett!e of the regulars of Marshal Chang
Hsiao-Liang, North China military
ruler, and it was reported the heaviest
engagement thus far in the campaign.
Chinese Hold Ground.
The Hattori brigade was halted at
| Shamoashan, about 100 miles east OF
Jehol City and only Is miles inside the
! border. Marshal Chang's regulars held
their ground despite repeated attacks
Marshal Chang's 10th Brigade made
southern mountain passage to Jehol
City. a key point. Emplacements OF ar
tillery and machine guns in the hills
held off the japanese.
For a second time Maj. Gen. Hattori
was forced to call on the air force from
this base to bomb the Chinese defend
ers It was disclosed that one OF Lieut.
Gen. Yoshimichi Suzuki's regiments
was swinging southwestward from
| Chaoyang and menacing the Chinese
| left flank in this area.
Japanese aviators claimed they were
eager to engage Marshal Chang's air
force in the first air combats. Japa,
nese assert Americans, Russians and
other Occidentals are plotting portion
| of the "a Chinese planes sent into Jehol
japanese Bomb Town.
Japanese planes bombing the neigh
| borhood of Lingyuan, 60 miles south
west of Chaoyang, which was captured
Saturday, reported 1000 Chinese casual
| ties resulting from the bambardment.
The Chinese estimated their total
casualties at 1000 and claimed SOC
Japanese were killed and wounded near
Lingyuan.
After scaling Lingyuan's heights. the
japanese expect to make speedy ad-
vance over the 75-mile highway to
Jehol City.
The other main offensive also antici-
pates easy going after scaling Chihfeng,
so miles from the capital. This column
was reported passing through Hopei, 95
miles southwest of Kailu, at 10 am.
today. Chihfeng was about SO miles
away.
| A fourth Japanese offensive, midway
between the two northern spearheads,
was last reported nearing the Jehol
border town of Suitung, about go miles
south Of Kailu.
The force which passed through Kailu
and was approaching Chihfeng included
Mai. Gen. Kennosuke Mogi's Cavalry
brigade, leading the way, the sixth di-
vision under Lieut. Gen. Masayemon
Sakamoto, and the native Manchukuar
army under Gen. Chang Hai-Peng.