Evening star., 1941-10-01
Army 10 Withdraw
From Changsha,
Japan Announces
Purpose Of Campaign,
To Smash Foes Force,
Declared Accomplished
BY the Associated Press.


SHANGHAI, Oct. 1.-Japaness
military headquarters in Human
Province announced today that
japanese forces were withdrawing
tomorrow from Changsha, the pro-
vincial capital, because the 'pur-
pose of the campaign has been
accomplished"
There were indications that the
withdrawal already had begun, for
Clark Lee, Associated Press reporter
who flew over Changsha in Japa-
nese Army plane yesterday, saw.
japanese columns moving north
ward from the city, which the Japa-
nese said they captured last Satur-,
day.
Withdraw From Chuch0w.
Previously the japanese had an.
nounced their withdrawal from
Chuchow, strategic railway junction
80 miles south of Changsha, assert
ing their thrust there had accom-
pliShed its purpose.
The Chinese never have admitted
the loss of Changsha and latest
Chungking advices told of Chinese
military claims that reinforcements
hurled into the Changsha campaign
by Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek
were cutting japanese communica-
tions with their base at Yochow, 100
miles north of Changsha.
! Chinese military reports said
japanese parachute troops were
landed both at Chuchow and
Changsha but all were killed or dis
persed.
The Japanese Army's announces
ment said all its forces used in the
Human drive would be withdrawn
northWard. Yesterday a japanese
spokesman said these totalled 10000
although Chinese estimates have
run as high as 100000. 1t was be-
lieved they would return to their
former positions around Yochov, at
the northern end of Tungting Lake,
from which their attack was launch
ed two weeks ago.
Won't Garrison Changsha.
The declared purpose Of the
japanese offensive was to smash the
Chinese forces in Human. That, it
was said, has been accomplished and
the Japanese would not attempt to
garrison Changsha, thus avoiding
further extension of their far-fung
lines in Central China.
Observers in Shanghai, however,
believe that face" also was a con-
sideration, since the Japanese Army
long has wanted to wipe out the
memory of its failure in September
and October, 1899, to take Chang
sha. That setback was the most
disastrous Of the war for the
japanese.
However, Changsha is the chief
Central China collecting point for
rice and other grains and is a vital
station on the important Hankow-
Canton railway, most of which still
is in Chinese hands and forms an
important supply route for Chang
Kai-shek's armies.
Troop Train Destroyed.
| A communique from the japanese
naval air base in Human Province
said hundreds of Chinese soldiers
were believed to have been killed
in an air attack today in which. il
said, an entire train of Is troop
laden coaches was destroyed on the
Hankow-Canton line south of
Chuchow.
japanese flyers also were said to
have sunk so junks carrying troops,
presumably on a Human Province
river, inflicting further heavy losses.
The Japanese military command
in Canton announced that japanese
forces which recently made an often
sive sweep in Northern KWangtung
Province were Withdrawing to their
Canton base simultaneously with the
withdrawal from Changsha. It said
the objective, to scatter Chinese
troops in Kwangtung. had been
realized.