Evening star., 1943-05-25
Chinu's Ordeal

Signs multiply that China is being
confronted with the sternest test in
its long struggle against japanese
aggression. The two-pronged Jap
anese offensive in the middle
Yangtse valley is making progress.
One of these prongs is striking
southwark from the Yangtse through
the much fought over lowlands
around Tungting Lake. its strategic
objective being the city of Changsha.
The Japanese also aim to devastate
the crops of this region. known as
China's rice bowl. which helps to
feed the less fertile highlands to the
westward amid which lies Free
China's capital, Chungking.
That, in itself, would be a grave
misfortune. Even more serious,
however, is the still more powerful
Japanese drive aimed at Chungking
itself. Last June the Japanese retook
the city of Ichang. the river port
which lies on the Yangtse at the
head of deep-draught navigation
just below the Yangtse gorges, where
the western highlands give way to
open plains. From 1chang, powerful
Japanese columns are pushing into
the highlands on both sides of the
Yangtse, and are now only about
200 miles from Chungking. This is
the first time they have ever tried so
ambitious an operation. To be sure,
the mountainous terrain is ex-
tremely difficult and the Chinese are
putting up a stubborn resistance.
But the Chinese armies are almost
destitute of mechanical equipment
and heavy artillery, whereas the
japanese are we'll supplied with both.
The Chungking government admits
that the situation is serious.
The military outlook is thus far
from reassuring. But behind the
strictly military aspect are other
factors which render the outlook for
Free China still more dubious. The
first of these is economic. During
the past year, China's internal sit
uation has gone rapidly from bad to
worse. A galloping imitation has
raised the cost Of living to a degree
almost intolerable for even the mid
die and upper classes, while the
urban masses are destitute and
crushing taxation discourages the
farmers. BY contrast, living condi-
tions in japanese occupied China
are improving. The japanese au-
thorities seem to be trying to con-
ciliate the population, encouraging
trade, regulating graft. and organ
izing relief for famine areas.
This economic disparity tends to
have depressing effect on war
weary elements in Free China. But
1t is only one element in a psychologi-
cal situation which bears heavily on
Chinese morale. Chang Kai-shek
and his well-informed colleagues see
the war as whole and realize why
his Western Allies cannot do more
for him at the present time. But
the average Chinese cannot look far
beyond his own hard lot and feels
himself isolated and neglected. This
breeds an atmosphere of discomfort
and resentment potentially danger
GUS if Chinas situation continues to
deteriorate. The failure of the
British campaign in Western Burma
has had bad effect on Chinese pub
lie opinion. That campaign was never
more than diversion, undertaken
largely to test out the expanded In
dian Army and give lift to Chinese
hopes. But the experiment turned
out badly, and the Chinese can see
only the failure and realize that
nothing more can be done before the
end OF the monsoon in October, If
then. China's life line, the Burma
road, remains closed, and its sole
link with the outer world is restricted
to air transport from India, flown
over towering mountains and capable
of bringing in a mere trickle~ Of
supplies.
Thus, whether from the military,
economic or psychological aspect,
Free China's outlook is gloomy. The
logical deduction is that the coming
months will be crucial. The Chinese
people have given heroic evidence
of their tenacity and endurance
against a Japanese menace which
they loathe. Nevertheless. any ma
tional morale has its limits, and Free
China has its breaking point.
It must be a great satisfaction for
a farm hand to be drafted and enjoy
that extra tWo-hour SnooZe in the