Evening star., 1942-01-05
Chinese Celebrate
Great Victory Over
Enemy al Chanesha
$1,000 Were Lost BY Foe.
Gordon Drown Around /
Remnant. Chunekine Soys

BY the Associated Press.
CHUNGKINo, Jan. S-Firer
crackers were discharged and gongs
sounded triumphantly in the streets
Of Chungking today to celebrate
what the Chinese proclaimed 2 great
victory over the japanese at Chang
Sha.
The Chinese declared . junction
had been effected by the Chinese
Changsha garrison and the troops
sent to its relief, and that . Chi
nese Gordon had been drawn about
the japanese force which had suf-
fered $1,000 casualties in three days
In . catastrophe debacle."
Japs Trying to Break Out-
The japanese, dependent on air.
borne supplies, are continuing at
tempts to break out Of the trap, CHI
nese said.
A group of newspaper corre-
spondents and foreign embassy at
taches, including 1t. Col. David D.
Barrett, assistant United States mill
tary attache. left for the Human
front to view the scene OF the
Changsha battle.
The Chinese high command de-
clared 10000 japanese were killed
or wounded yesterday in fighting
around the rich silk and rice center.
Two of the six Japanese divisions
which made the southwark drive on
Changsha were reported in full re-
treat, while the other four were
intercepted by the Chinese during
their withdrawal along the banks
of the Laotao and Liuyang Rivers.
The trapped divisions were the
Sd, 6th, 4th and 14th. The Sd and
9Th, two of the crack divisions Of the
Japanese Army. were reported badly
battered-practically wiped out, the
Chinese said.
High Omoers Reported Killed.
Several high japanese onicers
were reported killed In slaughter
which Chinese said was believed to
have no parallel In the four and
one-haH years Of the China war.
eThe Japanese announced Fri
day night the occupation Of
Changsha, and Domei. Japanese
news agency, said complete occu-
patton OF the city was achieved
yesterday. However, . japanese
dispatch Saturday from Hankow
quoted military quarters rs say
ing the japanese may not oc-
cupy Changsha permanently as 1t
was the purpose to crush Chinese
resistance" in driving on the
city,
The Chinese said their reinforce
ments came up yesterday as the en-
circled japanese continued to pound
at the city. The reinforcements oc-
cupied three Japanese outposts and
threatened the enemy's left flank.
The japanese, to meet the threat
on the left, were said to have trans
ferred troops from the southern
suburbs. but these Japanese soldiers
were subjected to concentrated Chi
nese artillery fire which the Chi
nese said killed several thousand
men.
On the collapse of that opera
ton, the Chinese said, the japanese
troops. attacking from the east. were
compelled to withdraw to the north,
in the general direction of the Japa-
nese base at Yochow, 100 miles
away.
Try to Gross Rivers.
The Japanese attempted to cross
the Liuyang and Latoao Rivers, but
the Chinese soldiers. who had pene-
trated the japanese rear. frustrat-
ed these attempts while the Chinese
artillery poured shells into the Japa-
nese concentrations, Chinese reports
said.
In fighting In Kiangsi province.
east of Human. the Chinese claimed
the recapture of the towns Of Kaoan,
40 miles southwest Of Nanchang
and Wuning, IS miles northwest of
Nanchang.
The Chinese Central News Agency
said the retreating Japanese set ON
fire the Yale-in- China buildings in
Changsha, burning the hospital, the
university medical school and the
homes of the staff. 1t was believed
likely the Americans on the uni
versity staf1 had left before the