Evening star., 1942-06-05

with which the japanese regarded
the battle was reflected in that they
had sent more than 100000 troops
into the assault.
Checked Miles From Town.
Earlier Chinese war reports said
the japanese. closing in on Chuhsien
from three sides, smashed to within
3 miles of the town from the north
before being checked by deadly de-
fense artillery fire and counterat-
tacks.
Another spirited battle was re-
ported underway in Kiangsi Prov
ince, Immediately to the west, where
the Japanese were attempting to
drive a supporting column into
Chekiang from Nanchang.
Success of that operation would
give the Japanese control of all of
the Nanchang -Hangshow rail line
of which the Chinese now hold a
vital middle segment nearly 200
miles long.
Kwangtung Fighting Continues.
Fighting also continued in Kwang-
tung Province to the southwest. The
japanese there were reported meet
ing stiff resistance to their attempts
to push. north from Canton in a
thrust which might cut off Chinese
communications to the Chekiang
battle zone.
The Chinese high command re-
ported the Japanese repulsed in new
attempts to cross the upper Salween
River in their attack into Yunnan
Province from the Burma frontier.
Japanese reports from Toxic
today claimed occupation of
Linchwan Fuchow), so miles
southeast of Nanchang. in Kiang-
81 Province
Meanwhile. high Chinese quar-
ters declared that Japan is de-
veloping a knockout blow against
China designed to end the Chinese
war at any cost and simultaneously
guarantee her overland communica-
tions with occupied French Indo-
China, Thailand, Burma and Ma
laya
The Japanese concern over the
land communications with occu-
pied territories in Asia was said to
be heightened by the possibility that
the Allies might reach the stage
where they could threaten seriously
Ja0an's sea routes.
These Chinese circles claimed that
they had received information that
high Japanese diplomats recently
submitted the following recommend
ations to Toxic after a tour of South
China:
l. Dispose of the China incident
as the japanese call the war in
China-at any cost.
2. Shelve the Russian problem un-
til the China affair is settled or well
on the way to settlement.
g. Minimize the effect of future
Allied warfare against japanese
shipping by insuring overland COM
munications with French Indo-
China and other occupied areas.
These Chinese sources said it was
most likely that Japan first would
seek to obtain full control of the
Peiping -Hankow and the Canton
Hankow Railway, thus bisecting
China.
Overland Connections.
Next, they said, the japanese
would endeavor to establish the
overland connection between Che
kiang, eastern seaboard province,
and Indo-C China by carrying the
present drive in Chekiang Province
right through Kiangsi, Human and
Kwangsi provinces, supplemented
with a campaign to take the whole
Burma road and the railway between
Running. terminus of the Burma
road, and Laokai, on the French
Indo-China border.
After the wrecked sections of the
railroad had been rebuilt, it was
said, the Japanese would have two
complete railway connections from
Manchuria and Korea to Kweichow
and Kwangsi provinces in Southern
China bordering on Indo-C China.
From Liuchow, Kwangsi Province,
the existing highway could be linked
with the Indo-China Railway sys-
tenn. :
The plan could be extended, the
Chinese said, to connect Liuchow
with Running by way of Kweiyang
and Weining, both in Kweichow
Province.