The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-26
JapaneseHaueBroken Chinese DefenseLine
Shock Troops Smash Through at Two Key Points; Shanghai Battle Front Becomes Blood
 Soaked Chinese Admit It

haustion, withdrew sullenly and slowly, fighting for every yard. It was not a rout. The Chinese hoped to withdraw all their men to the new line, roughly five miles west of the one which the Japanese cracked today, and there begin the fight anew.
 For many days, day and night, the Japanese had thrust against Tazang. They laid down lombard ments that crumbled its buildings and still the Chinese stood fast. The Japanese flanked 1t, north sand south. Today 1t was 6 chaice for the Chinese defenders whether they would stay and die, endangering their main forces by 6 reckless hopeless resistance or retire. Attack Opens at Dawn
 At dawn the Japanese opened 6 bombardment with airplane bombs and the shells of every gun they could bring to bear. A Japanese spokesman said that 1t was the first time in the ten weeks and more of the battle that every agency of the Japanese war ma chince, army and navy, had CO., operated on one objective fully.
 The hombardment was moved forward - acreeping barrage. Then the Japanese tanks went lumber ing over the blackened countryside, across No Mans land and into the streets of Tazang, with the infan- try just behind them. Armored cars brought up the rear. The tanks clanked through the streets of the little town from north to south and back again. Then the infantry went in. For hours, Japanese and Chinese fought hand to hand n the narrow, crooked streets among the piles of debris and the rotting bodies of the slain. The Chinese retreated and at { p. m. @ e. m EST) the Japanese completed their occupation.
 Other shock units were moving westward north and south of Ta- gang, toward Chenju andn the Nanking railroad.
 Strategy of Japanese
 The strategy of the Japanese was plain. They wanted to cut off all the Chinese at the south end of the Chinese line, bulged out easteward to Kiangwan in @ dan- gerous salient. Their drive from the railroad meant that they would leave but a periously narrow bottle neck, between them and the Tn. ternational Settlement here, for the hordes of Chinese defending Kiangwan and the Chapei-North Railroad station section to escape through.
 It was because of the known dan- ger of the Kiangwan- Chapel forces that the Chinese withdrew from Miaohang. A Chinese spokesman, frankly admitting the Japanese ad- vance, said that the Japanese flank. ing movements cracked the Tazang line and that the Japanese then were able to push westward in such strength that 1t was necessary for the Chinese to retreat toward Chenju between there and Nan endangered the men at Miaohang, at the extreme bulge of the salinet, and they had to retire on nortehrn Kiangwan.
 Chinese Position Dangerous
 The Chinese position was still a most dangerous one. The Japanese were definitely on the advance and the Chinese were loath to retreat
 Japanese believed that they had broken the Chinese resistance, and said that developments of the greatest importance might be ex. pected tomorrow.
 At dusk this evening, the Japan. ese had put a flynig column as far as the Nanking railroad. Chinese said that c stronger column was within two miles of Chenju rail. road gtatoin on the Nanking rail. road. They were five miles from Chenju proper. It was west of Chenju between theer and Nan. Siang, that the Japanese reached the railroad and began tearing up its tracks.
 A Japanese spokesman, reviewing the 10 weeks battle in prospect of a definite victory, said tonight tha. Chinese casualties were estimated at 260,000 out of a total of 6OO,. 900 to 600,000 men engaged. He asserted that the Chinese had left 67,OOO dead on the battle field and he estimated the total Chinese dead at 100000. He asserted that the