Evening star., 1941-10-09
The Chinese Offensive

LiC SIl1llCSC SdpUulC VI 1Cl1dllS,
acknowledged by the Japanese high
command, is in itself a matter of
great Importance. Ichang has been
the farthest outpost of Japanese
penetration into Central China. This
highly strategic city, situated on the
great Yangtse River at the point
where it bursts through impressive
gorges and leaves the mountainous
hinterland for the plains, was the
final prize in Japan's original drive
at the heart of China. There it was
stopped by the mountain barrier
which guards the Chinese National
ist capital of Chungking, some 800
miles farther upstream. Yet, so long
as japanese troops held Ichang, they
bottled up the Chinese armies and
rendered an incursion into the open
country impracticable.
That the Chinese have been able
to launch successful offensive
against large japanese garrison
presumably well equipped with mech
anized materiel indicates that the
Chinese already are benef1ting by aid
from Britain and America. Further
more, this bold stroke comes immedi-
ately after the failure of the spectac-
ular japanese offensive last week,
aimed at the city of Changsha. That
drive seemingly was started largely
as a "face-repairing" operation to
erase Japanese failure on the same
ground two years ago, as we'll as an
attempt by the army to prove that
it had the China incident" we'll in
hand, for the edification of elements
at home who might be trying to
"appease" Britain and America.
Although the japanese drive on
Changsha reached the city, it could
not be held, and the expeditionary
force was soon back at its Yangtse
base. That certainly did not improve
the army's face" Still more face
will be lost unless a counteroffensive
quickly sweeps the Chinese out of
captured Ichang- and back into the
hills.
The third factor in the present
military situation is the current
operation at Chengchow, an impor-
tant city on the Yellow River, second
largest OF China's waterways, which
runs roughly parallel to the Yangtse
from the mountains to the sea across
the Chinese plains at an average
distance of 400 miles to the north
ward. Immediately after the failure
at ChangSha, the japanese launched
drive at Chengchow which took the
city. But even the japanese admit
that the drive has not progressed
further and that they are digging
in against heavy counterattacks.
And, as in the drive on Changsha,
there is strong likelihood that the
operation was motivated by polit-
ical rather than military considera-
tions.
All these events indicate the pos
Sibility that what may be termed the
strategic initiative, as distinguished
from local tactical operations, may
soon pass from japanese to Chinese
hands. The japanese undoubtedly
have been compelled to shift
many flrst-line troops from China
either to French Indo-China or to
add to the big army which is being
assembled in Manchukuo along the
Siberian border. The Chinese obvi-
ously are taking advantage of this,
perhaps strengthened by fresh sup
plies obtained from British and
American sources.
Here again can be seen the tragic
dilemma which confronts both Japa-
nese strategy and diplomacy. The
island empire simply does not have
the strength to prosecute simultane-
ously the war in China and adven-
lures in Southern Asia and Siberia
Caught in this dilemma, japanese
foreign policy wavers and Spars for
time. Meanwhile the economic situ-
alton at home grows more acute
under pressure of Anglo-Americar
economic sanctions. The pressure is
rising rapidly in Tokio's political
steam gauge. Some decision must
soon be made