Evening star., 1943-06-03
Chinese Drive
To Right Bank
OF Yangtze
1000 Jap Invaders
Are Surrounded
South of Ichonq
BY the Associated Press.

CHUNGKING, June 3-Chinese
troops have driven to the right
bank of the Yangtze opposite
1chang in an air-supported
counter offensive against the
Japanese and have surrounded
1000 of the invaders farther
down the great river, the high
command announced tonight.
A Chinese Army spokesman said
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek S
forces yesterday recaptured the town
Of Changyang. II miles south of
Ichang. and also occupied the port
of Chihkiang, 35 miles down river
from the japanese base.
The high command issued a spe-
cial communique to keep abreast OF
developments in the counterthrusts
against the routed enemy shock
troops.
Another Base Surrounded.
1t said Chinese driving northward
from Human Province crossed the
border into Southern Hupeh and
surrounded Kungan. another Of the
bases for the abortive japanese push
against defenses of the Upper
Yangtze Kungan lies 10 miles
southeast of Ichang.
japanese troops are being driven
back toward the south bank of the
river on the whole Upper Yangtze
front, the spokesman added.
He said the Japanese had used
altogether about 100000 troops in
the battle and that they had suf-
fered about 10000 casualties.
A communique from the head
quarters of 1t. Gen. Joseph w. Still
we'll announced that 10 counterof-
fenive blows were struck by the l4th
United States Air Force May 80 and
81 In support of the Chinese Army
in the Lake Tungting area.
20 Jap Fighters Destroyed.
B-24 Liberator bombers were cred
tied with destruction Of 20 Japa-
nese fighter planes and probable
destruction of five others during
bombardment of Ichang airflelds
and Chinese fighter pilots, led by
1t. Col. John Alison of Gainesville,
Fla, destroyed three Zeros and
probably wrecked three others.
At least five enemy planes were
DESTROYED on the ground, japanese
gunboat was set afire, four river
boats were sunk or burned and the
locomotives OF four trains were
knocked out In addition, numerous
casualties were inflicted on Japa-
nese troops.
Two American planes were lost
and several others were damaged.
Other Gains Reported.
The major gains in the Ichang
sector were coupled with Chinese
advances across older battleflelds
both east and north of that men,
aced port, the high command an
nounced.
Chinese troops yesterday captured
the important town of Hwangmei,
in Eastern Hupeh Province 20 miles
north of Yangtze and 295 miles east
of Ichang, after annihilating more
than 300 japanese, a communique
said.
About the same distance north Of
Ichang Chinese detachments in
Shansi Province checked the Jap
anese drive southwark from points
west of the Taiheng Mountains and
counterattacked. After losing more
than 400 men the japanese were re-
ported in retreat toward Linchwan.
Recapture of Changyang would
represent an advance of about 20
miles for the Chinese troops since
they regained Yuyangkwan last Sat-
urday.
The occupation of Chihkiang, the
spokesman said, menaced japanese
communications with 1chang. Japa-
nese positions south of the Yangtze
now form an arc extending from a
point less than Is miles west of
Ichange to Lihsien in Human Prov
ince.
Three Towns Regained.
The Chinese announced yesterday
that they had regained three towns
above Lihsein and said the retreat
ing japanese in this area had been
surrounded and many had been
wiped out.
(The Toxic radio, in a broad
cast recorded by the Associated
Press in London, quoted an Off
cial Japanese statement today as
saying that operations in Gen.
trail China had been successfully
concluded and all Japanese forces
who participated have been
brought back to their bases" The
statement said the operations,
which we're ended Monday, took
place on front 100 miles long
and So miles deep, stretching
from Tungting Lake to the Yang
TIE River and the fortified town
OF 1chang. The 10th Chinese
Army and other forces were AN
initiated" the broadcast added)
The military spokesman said an
important factor in the Chinese
successes was the collaboration of
the Chinese and American Air
Forces, which have accomplished
very much"