Evening star., 1942-05-21
Attack on Foochow
Coupled With Lond
Drive in Chekione
By the Associated Press.

CHUNGhlNG, May Zl.-Japd-
nese troops have been landed
near Foochow, chief port and
capital of the east coast prov
ince of Fukien, and have been
engaged in heavy fighting with
Chinese defense forces, the Chi
nese high command announced
I today.
The invading force was carried
aboard a dozen transports. which
made their way UP the Min River to
a point near the city.
The descent on Foochow, a city of
100000 and largest port between
Shanghai and Hong Kong. was a
southwark extension in the series OF
Japanese attacks which Is assuming
the character of a ajor offensive
perhaps intended to knock China
out of the war.
Foochow was blockaded and
bombed by the japanese in June,
1899. In April, l94l, they invaded
the city and moved inland along the
river, but met stubborn Chinese re-
Sistance and finally withdrew last
September.
Coupled With Land Drive.
The new invasion was coupled
with land drive southwark in Che
kiang Province. south of Shanghai.
in determined effort to conquer
fhot n u,hinh -.
bases are threat to Toxic.
In the far southwest in Yunnan
Province the Chinese reported they
had recaptured Kanlanchai, key
point on the Lungkiangkiao-Te -Teng-
yueh highway. and seized large
quantities of japanese war supplies.
There was no change in the posi-
tions along the Burma road west of
the Salween River and the Chinese
said the Yunnan front was becom-
ing stabilized
The Chekian drive in the east was
along a 150-mile front, with four
japanese spearheads of attack.
50 Miles From Kinhwa.
A Chinese Army spokesman.
acknowledging this situation, said
the Japanese had reached a point
about so miles from Kinhwa, pro-
vlsional capital Of Chekiang, and
that heavy fighting was in progress
all long the front.
Fierce Chinese Resistance.
The Japanese columns encoun-
tered fierce Chinese resistance and
at least one was reported beaten
back while others were checked.
Chinese artillery blazed into ac-
ton near Changlochen, about IS
miles southwest of Ningpo, North
eastern Chekiang as the Chinese
launched a counterattack against
japanese trying to push along a
highway to the south and forced
the enemy to fall back to Chang
lochen.
Meanwhile, another japanese
column was held in check east of
Sinchang. about so miles southwest
of Ningpo. This column is based
on Fenghwa. birthplace of Gener-
alissimo Chang Kai-shek, near
Ningpo.
The Japanese drive was intensi-
fled along the railway leading south
into Kinhwa. but the Chinese were
said to be holding their ground de-
spite incessant aerial strafing.
Battle Raging.
On the right wing of the Chek-
lang offensive, some 40 miles south
west of Japanese HangkoW, a
battle was raging at Tunglu which
the Japanese were trying to take
by storm.
The Checking Railway, which
curves southwestward to Japanese
held Nanchang in Kiangsi Province,
is the route of the principal one of
the four Japanese columns of ad-
vance, the Chinese spokesman said,
Placing this column so miles
northeast of Kinhwa indicates an
advance of about 30 miles since
yesterdays report and of about 10
miles since the drive started early
this week from Hangchow. The scene
is about 130 miles below Shanghai.
Other Enemy Positions.
The Chinese said the other Jap
anese columns we're:
1-Somewhere south of Ningpo
on the coastal road;
2-In the vicinity Of Changlochien
on a highway between the railroad
and the coast;
3. On the left bank of the Chen
tang River west of the railroad near
the mouth of the Tung River, trib-
utary of the Chientang.
From 10000 to 10000 japanese
troops are participating in these
drives, the Chinese spokesman said
with 10000 others held in reserve at
Hangchow and about 10000 mass
ing at Nanchang to push up the
railroad and attempt to form a juno
ture with those moving southwest.
This last force has NOT yet gone
into action, but the apparent aim
(See CHINA, Page A-6D