Evening star., 1938-07-26

japanese hdve struggled last three
neeks to capture Kiukiang, Yangtze
Rtper port l35 miles below Hankow,
former Provisional seat Of Chinese
Nationalist government, which
Japanese had striuen to capture
since taH OF Sucho,o last April.
OFFENSIVE along Peiptno -Hankow
ratlway mashed out In June by
Yellov Riuer floods pouring through
breaks in dikes.
BY the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, July 26.-The Japa-
nese command announced its army
had at last opened a path for a ma
jor offensive against Hankow today
by occupying Kiukiang and thereby
breaking the principal Chinese de-
fense line in the Yangtze Valley.
kiukiang is 1875 miles down the
Yangtze River from Hankow. provi-
sional Chinese capital. The Japanese
had tried more than three weeks to
force entry into the city.
The army OF Nippon entered it this
morning, the japanese announced,
after Chinese defenses began to crum-
BILE late last night.
Chinese claims to the contrary, the
japanese said Generalissimo Chang
kai-sheks troops were retreating to
the west and southwest presumably
hoping later to swing back north to
form new defenses for the capital.
Warships Advance.
While the army completed its oc-
cupation Of Kiukiang, the japanese
announcement related, japanese war
ships advanced slowly through mine
fields in the Yangtze and. with army
and navy airforces, joined in she'll
ing and bombing the retreating Chi
nese.
The Japanese said the fall Of Kiu-
kiang eliminated a forceful offensive
begun last Saturday, when troops
landed on the west bank of Lake
Poyang. Heavy rains hampered con-
tinuance of the advance until yes
terday.
Despite the rains, however, the
communique said the army defeat
ed several Chinese divisions as 1t
fought its way to Kiukiang"
Capture of the city was said to have
broken the Chinese defense line
stretching from Kiukiang 30 miles
southwark along the west bank Of Lake
Poyang. the Chinese air base
All the Chinese positions in the
Yangtze Valley were wobbling. the
Japanese asserted. and 1t is only a
matter of time until their collapse" I"
The Toxic trooys claimed control
of $50 miles of the Yangtze, with
"Hankow the next objective"
The battle for Kiukiang apparently
was one Of the most DANA ging of the
war. Both sides threw heavy REIN
forcements into the fight, much Of 1t
at short distances with small arms
Chinese asserted the japanese had
landed 10000 fresh troops and 100
tanks at Hukow in preparation for the
final thrust.
Most civilians fed the city before
its capture Fourteen miles to the
southeast lies the Kuling mountain
resort, where $50 foreigners, includ-
ing more than so Americans, are
staying. There have been fears here
that they might be endangered should
fighting turn in that direction.
Withdrawal Unlikely.
Reports reaching the United States
Consulate General at HankoW indi-
Gated there was little likelihood that
the so Americans and like number OF
Britons in Kuling would attempt to
withdraw from the resort.
Foreign leaders set about making
their refuge safer. They requested
the Chinese civil administration of the
district to set aside and demiltarize
certain school and hospital buildings
to be included in a foreign refugee
concentration area The Chinese also
were asked to exclude from their de-
fense preparations certain residential
areas to be refugees for Chinse
civilians.
Soong Tours Southwest China.
HONG KONG, July 26 (P).-Plans
for further development of communica-
tions between French Indo-China and
Chinas southwestern provinces were
understood to be involved in journey
T. V. Soong, former Chinese finance
minister. is making through those
areas.
1t is in the southwestern provinces,
such as Yunnan, Kweichow, Kwangsi,
Kwangtung, that the Chinese gov
ernment, now at Hankow, hopes to
make a determined stand against the
japanese
Informed persons believed the trip
was connected with plans for improve
ment OF railway and highway links
between 1ndo- China and Yunnan, for
which French bankers made q so 00OO.-