Evening star., 1943-06-06
Chinese Army Seizes
Outer Point Of Ichanq,
japanese Main Base
Proportions of Victory
Grow as Foe Discounts
Upper Yonetze DeboeIe
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHUNGKING, June 5.-The pro
portions of the Chinese victory in
the Upper Yangtze area. which the
Chinese call their greatest of the
war, continued to grow today and
the high command announced the
capture of a point in the outer de-
fenses of Ichang, the main base
from which the japanese last month
started their drive in the direction
of Chungking.
Chinese press dispatches said Gen
eralissimo Chang Kai-shek's war;
riors in plain clothes infiltrated into
1chang itself Thursday morning and
created utter disorder and con-
fusion" setting large fires and ex-
plosions which shook the city.
The high command announced
the capture of Kungan, south of
Shasi on the Yangtze and IS miles
southeast of Ichang, from which
one japanese column had set out
on the abortive campaign. More
than half the garrison was wiped
out and the remainder retreated
the war bulletin said.
Other Points Captured.
Dispatches from the front said a
number of other points had been
captured in a triumphant sweep to
the southeast of Ichang. with the
fleeing enemy abandoning large
quantities of arms and stores and
even discarding their uniforms in an
effort to escape in Chinese clothing.
One force of about 4,OOO making
last ditch stand at Tsingshih, in
Human Province north of Lake
Tungting to the southeast of Ichang,
was said to be cut into small isolated
units.
Their fate is sealed" the dis
patches said.
The entire west bank of the
Yangtze, opposite Ichang, was said
to be cleared of the enemy, and the
communique said Meitseya, in the
city's outer defenses, had been taken.
Several hundred enemy soldiers
were killed during the encounter
and a large quantity of war supplies
was captured,' the announcement
reported.
Counter Thrust Defeated.
On the northern arc of the front
IN HGpeh Province, the communique
said japanese counter thrust north
of Suihsien had been turned back.
Suihsien is about 100 miles north
west of HenkoW.
In the air phase Of operations. the
Chinese Central News reported that
Chinese bombers with a fighter es-
cort today attacked Itu. a Yangtze
port below Ichang, and returned to
their base without a loss.
Chinese dispatches yesterday an
nounced tnat their forces had en-
tered Itu, but in view of the air
operation 1t was presumed by OBJ
servers that the entry was Ill the
nature of sortie
Chinese authorities said the Chi
nese victory of the Upper Yangtze
war far more important than those
scored in the three battles of Chang
Sha in Central China because in
those battles the Chinese hold on
a stretch OF the Canton -Hankow
railway was only threatened. while
In the latest battle Chungking it.
self was meraced.
Excel In Mountain Fighting
The battle of the Upper Yangtze.
they said, demonstrated the excel
lence of Chinese troops in mountain
fighting where they met the Japa-
nese on more equal terms than on
fiat terrain where the invade.s were
able tC exploit their far superior
equipment.
AS a result of the victory, it was
pointed out, the vital communica-
tions line between Human and
SzechWan Provinces has been safe
guarded and the flow of rice and
other commodities so urgent in the
present economic circumstances has
been assured.
Authorities dismissed as the
usual japanese propaganda" the