Evening star., 1937-08-22
CHINESE AREF |
AT NANK0W PASS
Three-Fourths of Gateway
to Inner Asia Still in
Their Hands,.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the ASSOCIATED fresS.
NANKOW, China, August 2l.-The
battle for Nankow Pass thundered
into its second week today with three
fourths Of this historic gateway to
Mongolia and Inner Asia still In
Chinese hands.
The Great Wall Of China, which
for 1000 years has been q rampant
against Mongol and Tartar hordes
from the Northwest, was serving as
a barrier against the invader from
overseas, who today is going the other
way. Here it crosses the Nankow defiles
In 10 separate parallel walls.
A powerful Japanese expedition (es-
timated by the Chinese command at
Marking at three regular divisions)
for the eighth day hurled It's heaviest
artillery blast at the pass defenses
with little gain. Chinese forces in
the Nankow area have been estimated
at 10000
Shells Blast Wall.
Big japanese shells blasted tons of
huge gray bricks from the wall and
white smoke puffs from its ramrarts.
evidently from mortars, located the
otherwise invisible defenders.
Japanese infantry advancing labor
iously along a rocky creek bed at the
bottom of the defile drew heavy
Chinese fire.
The battle at Nankow was not the
most important phase OF the cam
paign in North China, where a Japa-
nese army, steadily approaching a
strength OF 100000 men, was in con-
tact at many points with Chinese
forces estimated at II divisions. or
some 100000 men. The japanese were
attempting to extend their conquests
OF the past six weeks, which have
given them domination of Peipinp
lientsin and all Of Northeastern Hopeh
Province.
Japanese military oticer in Pei
ping reported a heavy battle at
Lianghsiang, 2l miles by the Pei
ping-Hankow Railway southwest of
Felplng. Chinese columns advanc-
Ing from the southwest were said to
have precipitated the battle. but
the japanese said it was going in
their favor)
Five-Hour Artillery Duel.
A terrific five hour artillery duel
was fought today Heavy rains have
lmpeded the advance of the Japanese.
who appeared to be taking their time,
content to blast at the Chinese with
artillery and air bombs until the
weather clears.
The Japanese have taken about
3 miles OF the l2-mile bottle neck
through the mountains. Under heavy
bombardments the Chinese have given
way only from quarter to half q
mile daily since August "a.
There has been little hand -to-hand
hghting. The Japanese do not seem
anxious to come to grips at close
quarters.
At sunset their 6-inch howitzers
mile behind my vantage point
thundered in an esr-splitting barrage
the echoes rolling through the defiles
for what seemed like minutes after
each explosion.
Rain Washes Out japanese.
This was ended by a cloudburst
which washed out Japanese units try
ing to rest in the creek bed.
Inside the pass the japanese have
about 1000 horses and donkeys ano
some 400 American-made moto,
trucks running a constant stream o,
supplies to the front Their part o1
the pass is lined with camps and am
munition depots.
Along the railroad running through
the pass the japanese are constantly
running armored cars from which they
spray the Chinese with machine-gur
fire. The Chinese, as they give
ground, blow up the bridges, but tn,
japanese engineer troops repair then
quickly.