Evening star., 1942-01-05
MacArthur's Forces Repu|se Japs
After Escaping Pincer Movement;
Observation-Disclosures
Chinese Reported
Rushing to Help
Bolster British
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 5.-Veteran
Chinese troops are believed to
be on their way to Malaga to
help block the japanese drive
toward Singapore, British
sources said today, as advices
from Singapore disclosed further
Japanese landings on the west
coast Of Malaga.
In Singapore confidence in
the long-range possibilities of
defending the city was mounting
in spite of the new British re-
treat yesterday which forced the
British TO fall back from their
positions below Ipoh on the west
side of the Malayan PeninsulaJ
The London sources said assign
ment of Chinese forces to Malaga
was a likely first step of the unified
Southwest Pacific command under
Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wavell.
Aid in Allied Crisis.
They said the call on Chinese man
power was for aid in a crisis until
Britain and the United States can
rush men and arms to the Far
East. 1t probably was worked out
during the recent visits TO Chungking
of Gen. Wavell and Maj. Gen. George
H. Brett. United States Army Air
Corps chief, who is Gen. Wavells
aide in the unified command, they
added.
Chinese forces already have boil
stored the British in Burma on the
flank Of the Malay front.
Military observers said British
troops in Malaga had been forced
to retreat not by more eficient
Japanese fighting but by superior
numbers and their inability to de-
fend a wide front.
This situation. they said could be
remedied by Chinese infantry sup
ported by British artillery and mo-
torized forces.
Threat to Left Flank.
A British military commentator
said the new Japanese landings con-
stituted a threat to our left flank" !"
The landings. at the mouths Of
the Perak and Bernam Rivers, ap-
parently were made from small
boats which the japanese had
picked up along the portion OF the
coast which they had overrun to the
north, the commentator said.
He declared there were no indica-
tions that the japanese had been
using transports, which would have
to come through the Strait Of Ma
lacca between Malaga and Sumatra
to reach their destination.
Koo's Statement Recalled.
1t was recalled that Chinese AM
bassador v. x. wellington Koo said
several weeks ago in London that
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek
stood ready with thousands of Chi
nese veterans in Yunnan Province
to provide manpower for the Allies
if it was needed.
Some observers here saw in the
Chinese generalissimo's appointment
as Allied commander in China. Thai
land and Indo-China an indication
that the Chinese might be called
on to help with an offensive to the
southeast.
They pointed out that a land at
tack from Burma and Yunnan
Province into Thailand and Ind0-
China would threaten the entire
Japanese battle plan by hitting at
important Japanese air and even
naval bases and relieving the pres
sure on the Malaya front by cutting
japanese supply lines
Japan Seized Thailand through
effective fifth column work, but
might have to yield it the same way
because over 2,000,0O Of the coun-
trys 100000 population are
Chinese one observer commented.
These Thailand Chinese have been
among the strongest supporters Of
Chang Kai-shek"
Military experts continued to re-
gard the situation in the South
Pacific as a race for time with Gep.
Wavell mastering Allied strength as
swiftly as possible for an attack
against the japanese by land before
the Japanese can break Gen. Douglas
MacArthur's spirited resistance on
Luzon Island.
The site where the Allied head
quarters will be established has not
been announced, but there were
growing indications that Java. cen
trail island of the Netherlands In
dies, would be chosen.