Evening star., 1943-11-30
Chinu's Rice Bowl

one OF the most obscure theaterS
of combat in China Is that known
as the Rice Bowl" region. This
phrase aptly describes the lowland
basin of the upper-middle Yangtse
Valley. The basin is situated just
below the rapids, where that mighty
river of Central China bursts from
the western highlands which pro-
tect the nationalist capital, Chung
king. These extensive lowlands,
studded with lakes and seasonally
inundated by river floods, have a
mild climate and extremely fertile
soil All this renders it ideal for
rice growing, and it is the only ex-
tensive producing area within
effective transportation of the west
ern highlands. where the normal
population has been swollen by mil
lions of refugees from Japanese
oppression. 1t is thus literally
Chungking's rice bowl.
That fact accounts in great part
for Japan's periodic campaigns
there. Heavy fighting in the rice
bowl region is an annual event, to
be expected at this time of year,
just after the rice crops have been
reaped and are ready for transpor-
tation. For the past four years
those campaigns have followed a
consistent pattern. Strong Japa-
nese columns penetrate the region,
seizing or destroying everything in
their path. Unable to fight pitched
battles in the open country, the
Chinese regular troops make stiff
stands at certain naturally defensive
points while sWarmS of guerrillas
close in on the japanese lines of
communication. At this phase
Chungking announces that Japa-
nese forces are cut off and are
threatened with annihilation. But
presently the japanese fight their
way back to their fortified bases
along the Yangtse River, and Chung
king announces another victory.
The real truth, however, would seem
to lie in striking balance between
the damage inflicted by the Japa-
nese raiders and the losses in men
and equipment they have sustained
in the process.
Earlier in the Sino-JapaneSe War
1t was different. When the Japa-
nese war machine rolled irresistibly
up the Yangtse Valley until it came
up against the mountain barriers
beyond Ichang, which it's mechan-
lied might could not penetrate, the
Japanese high command seems to
have entertained the ambitious plan
OF cutting southwark through the
lateral valleys which offer an ave-
nue. from the Yangtse to the South
China coast at Canton. Twice, in
succeeding years, the Japanese
made the attempt, Each time they
were beaten back with heavy losses.
being unable even to hold the first
strategic goal in the process, which
is the city Of Changsha. Since then,
this larger strategic concept has
been either abandoned or adjourned
until the power of the Chungking
regime has been generally worn
down and either collapses or loses
control over most everything beyond
the western highlands.
For the past four years, Japan's
overall plan of strategy in China
has been to hold what was already
gained and gradually strangle
Chungking by constructing pressure,
both military and economic. That
process was notably aided by the
closing OF the Burma road, a year
and a half ago, which cut Chung
kings last effective overland COM
munication with the outer world.
The annual raids into the rice-bowl
region thus fits into the general
attritional pattern by cutting down
Chungking's food supplies. To the
degree In which the present raids
have accomplished this purpose,
their effectiveness NOV he judrod