Imperial Valley press., 1941-12-29

) Reports from Manila said that the
northern invasion forces were being
held off along the Agno river line
about 80 miles north of the Philip
pines capital. The southern Japa-
nese forces were repulsed on Taiong
river in efforts to break into Bat
angas province about SO airline miles
south of Manila.
A war department communique
issued at washington revealed that
Macarthur has concentrated his
main forces in Pampanga province
north of Manila. The northern
boundary of this province is SO
miles north of Manila and 40 miles
south of the Agno river battle line
DECISIVE BATTLE NEAR
This word seemed to indicate that
Macarthur has chosen his battle
ground for the main and probably
decisive stand against the Japanese
invaders on the flat Pampanga
plains about midway down the level
corridor which runs from the Gulf
of Lingayen, where the Japanese
landed their main forces, to Manila.
The battle, it was apparent, has
not yet been joined. Macarthur re-
ported from his field headquarters
that there had been little change
OF the battle fronts Monday, indt-
eating that American and Filipino
forces thus far have held off the
Japanese.
However, the Japanese are known
to be landing reinforcements in,
rn
steadily building up their forces
to the point where the main battle
may shortly be expected.
Chief japanese air action of the
day was a tWo-hour attack on the,
fortress of Corrigedor, guardian OF
Manila bay, in which they lost a
number of planes.
On the fighting fronts:
NORTHEAS $ T PHiLIPPINES-
Japanese invaders advancing from
Lingayen gulf were reported driven
from four towns by an American
cCunterattack on their left flank
but there was no important change
on the main Pampanga front where
Gen. Douglas Macarthur shortened
and strengthened defense lines along
the Agno river.
SOUTHEAST PHILIPPINES =
American lines along the TaionR
river held back heavy japanese at
tackS deSlg eu 10 break into Batan-
gas province.
The southeast front is about SO
miles from Manila and the enemy
has been attempting to fight his
way to the main communications
lines leading toward the port OF
Batangas, Cavite and Manila.
! MINDANAO - Unconfirmed re-
ports said that Dutch bomberS had
sunk two japanese transports, but
there was no recent word of prog
reSs of the enemy invasion of Min
danao near Dayao.
MALAYA - British forces were
| fighting south of the important
| Ipoh tin mine center, about 300
miles north OF Singapore, after fall
ing back from the Perak river line
at some points. That does not nee
esSarily mean" that Ipoh has been
captured, the British radio said, as
the japanese may have swept around
3 II. OD JIlt tdSJ COdSJ III NIdld0 IL IiiI
fighting front was near Kuantan,
I less than 200 miles north of Singa-
pore.
Tokyo broadcaSts claimed the cap
ture OF Ipoh.
I BATAVIA-Dutch air forces re-
ported they had set tire to an enc
my cruiser and bombed transport
off the Borneo coast but it was ac-
knowledged that the japanese had
taken kuching capital of Sarawak.
On the north Borneo coast Dutch
defense units were said to be bat
tling to crush Japanese landed near
Medan airport in an effort TO seize
a north Sumatra base for attack OH
Singapore, but a late broadcast from
London said that reports of para
chutist attack were due to mis-
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