Evening star., 1938-05-05
China Advances.

When the Japanese Army month ago
at Taierhchwang suffered the first
crushing defeat in its history, even
foreign admirers of the fighting quail
ties of the Chinese were inclined to fear
the rout of the invaders in Shantung
was hardly more than a flash in the
pan. That impression was heightened
by indications that the Toxic high
command. in order to avenge the dis
astrous blow to Japans prestige, was
preparing promptly to hurl heavy REIN
forcements into the campaign for con-
quest of the strategic Lunghai east-west
railway line, including the capture OF
pivotal Soochow. Underlying the eager
ness to wipe out the disgrace Of
Taierhchwang was the yearning of the
japanese high command to master the
entire Chinese seaboard from Manchukuo
to Hangchow below Shanghai. That
object achieved, Toxic evisioned the end
of the war.
Chang Kai-shek, far from being ter
rified by enemy plans to deliver an
annihilating thrust, proceeded to con-
centrate in the Lunghai sector the most
formidable aggregation of troops he has
yet marshaled. Chinese forces esti-
mated to number 100000 are now as
sembled in South Shantung for
herculean drive to crush Japan's offen-
sive. Themselves on the aggressive
practically along the whole front
stretching from point west of Soochow
to the coast, Chiang's regalvanized
divisions once again have their proud
but thoroughly disillusioned foe on
the run. Latest accounts report the
Chinese smashing through the center of
the japanese positions at Taierhchwang,
after having advanced on Tuesday and
Wednesday no fewer than twelve miles.
The islanders lines buckled up in the
first Chinese assault, which was furiously
and successfully pressed. Chiang's
headquarters now radiates confidence
that by the time the Lunghai operations
epochal japanese defeat.
There could be no more telltale evi-
dence of Japan's realization Of the
grave turn in her fortunes than the
Toxic governments action in taking,
after prolonged resistance to army de-
mands, the first step to effectuate the
new so-called "Naz; model mobilization
law. It confers authority to draft the
empires full manpoWer and economic
resources in national emergency. The
Emperor's civilian advisers, face to face
with the dilemma which has developed
in Shantung, are manifestly convinced
the time has come to throw into the
breach every ounce of military power
still available When the law was passed
in March, Premier Konoye promised
1t would not be invoked during the
China incident" unless the war situa-
ton made such a recourse utterly I'M
avoidoble.
It seems almost inconceivable, even
making due allowance for China's
matchless superiority in manpower, that
even after the loss of Peiping, Tientsin,
Shanghai and Marking, along with
hundreds of thousands of miles OF
territory, she could after all have
brought Nippon's lever victorious" and
supposedly invincible war machine to
a standstill. Yet that miracle has come
to pass. In another two months the
war will be a year old. 1t would be a
rash prophet now who would say that
victory for the Chinese is impossible.
1t has, indeed, suddenly entered the
realm Of probability, for Japan is steadily
sinking into the morass that is China
and will sink beyond recall unless there
is collapse of the defenders morale
and power of resistance, on which there
is now slight reason to reckon.