Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04
Strategy Of Chinese
Makes Conflict With
Japan a StaIemate
No End Seen as Defenders
Continue to Draw Foe
Further Inland
(Sirth OF a Series,)
Bv A. L. STEELE.

DIV n. L. - ELL.
/ Correspondent Of The. Star and Chicago
Daily News.
! CHUNGKING by Clipper The
| Chinese have coined a new name
for their STACEY against Japan
They call 1t magnetic warfare"
You draw EN- in, then NOV EN-
down.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes
it is merely a blind for retreat.
Certainly it angerS the japanese,
who specialize in humiliation tao
tics. They are annoyed because
the Chinese won't stand still and
be annihilated.
Whatever the merits and faults
of the respective strategies, there
is no end in sight for the weariSome
Stalemate into which the China
conflict has degenerated. Neither
side seems able or willing to take
decisive action against the other.
The numerous raids and forays
which are forever being carried out
by the Japanese against Chinese
troop concentrations may have some
propaganda value in Japan. but
they have no decisive bearing on
the war.
Strength of Chinese ARMY.
How strong is the Chinese Army?
Neutral military experts don't agree
But from the standpoint of China s
friends and allies the significant
fact is that the Chinese Army is
big enough and strong enough to
m1re down a force of more than
100000 Japanese troops in Chinese
soil. AS long as the Chinese con-
tinue to do that-even if they do
nothing more-they are perform
ing great and good favor for
other nations threatened with jap
anese attack
about any military force as vari-
egated as the Chinese Army. 1t
has its good troops and its bad
1t has Well-equipped divisions and
some that are tattered and under
armed. There are Central Govern
ment troops, provincial troops and
Red troops. There are regulars"
anu t1AClC olt SiCl llldS.
Observers who have recently Wis
tied various Chinese fronts have
come back with the impression that
there is still lot of fight left in
the Chinese Army and that in gen.
eral its condition is satisfactory.
This is particularly true of the
armies on the main fronts. In the
remote regions and in guerrilla areas
behind the japanese lines the sup
ply problem is acute, but the troops
manage, somehow, to carry on.
Loyalty is Encouraging.
The continuing loyalty of the
Chinese Army, in spite of military
setbackS and inadequate pay, is
one of the encouraging features of
the China picture. So far there
have been surprisingly few defec-
tons TO the enemy side. This is
an upset TO japanese calculations
They had expected that brides.
Establishments and punishm ent
would win over many important
Chinese generals.
Any Chinese officer is assured
of profit and promotion simply by
walking across the lines with his SOL
dlers INTO the camp of Mr.. Wang
Ching-wei. The few who have sold
out are small fry. Not single
Chinese general of real importance
has SO far gone over
At the moment, the big problem
in the Chinese Army is economic
now to keep the soldiers satisfied
with low wages while the price
level runs wild.
Army Is Bigger Now.
The Chinese Army is bigger today
than at the beginning of the war.
1t is of course not as strong, for it
lacks artillery. tanks, motor trans
port and planes in adequate
amounts. Gen. Chang Kai-shek
has under his command at least
5000, 900 government and provincial
troops. with probably another l.
900 900 or more who could be utilized
in an emergency. He is holding
his best forces in reserve to meet
any possible japanese offensive
against Chungking, the wartime
capital.
More than 600 900 Chinese troops
are garrisoned behind the japanese
~, 49,.