Evening star., 1947-11-23
By the Asseeioisd Press

BY the ASSociotsd FTeSs
NANKING, Nov. 22.-Generalis-
simo Chang Kai-Shek in his strus-
gle with the Chinese Communists
is winnig the war Of cities but
losing the battle of the railroads.
A study of the past three months
of civil strife indicates that while
the government defended It's Man
churian strongholds and recovered
some cities below the Great Wall,
its most vital communication lines
have been ripped and torn apart
by skillful Communist attacks.
Military experts, reviewing the
struggle both in Manchuria and In
China proper, agree that at least
the first phase of the autumn CAM
paigns has ended with the balance
sheet in favor of the Communists.
On paper-and on maps showing
regions generally controlled by the
government-it appears Generals
simo Chiang's armies have made
important progress in their fight to
quell the Communist rebellion.
But maps fail to show the blasted
bridges, the mile after mile OF
burned rail lines, the nightly guer-
rilla raids by which Red bands have
practically driven the National Army
into defending strongpoints and al
lowing the enemy to roam the coun-
tryside at will.
Two Bright Spots.
There are two bright spots on the
Governments record for this three
month period:
/. Gen. Chen Chengs successful
defense of Mukden and other Gov
ernment held cities in Manchuria; q
defense marred by the almost COM
plete destruction of the Mukden-
Changchun Railroad and the loss
of some vital power and coal areas
to the Reds.
2. The Shantung Peninsula cam
paign eliminating in the capture OF
Chefoo, ending Communist sea traf-
fic between north Shantung ports
and Russian occupied Dairen In
southern Manchuria.
Against these achievements the
Communist high command claims:
/. Destruction of nearly $50 miles
of the Changchun- -Mukden Rail-
road between a point five miles
south of Changchun, Manchuria's
/ Capital and Tiehling. Damage is
so great that it may. be said the
railroad has ceased to exist.
2. Repeated cutting of the Lung
hal Railway, Chinas only important
east-west line, interrupting COM
munications between important
north central cities and Nanklng
and the big base of SuchoW.
8. Repeated sabotage of the 1ient-
sin-Pukow Railways bridges and
railways between Suchow and Nam
king, halting the flow of traffic.
4. Capture of Shihkiachwang, 172
miles southwest of Peiping, opening
UP a Communist corridor between
Shantung Province and the prov
inces of Hopeh and Shansi.
5. Raids by one-eyed Gen. Liu Po-
cheng's forces-estimated at from
10000 to 100000 men-which swept
to the Yangtze River and halted
river traffic between Hankow ano
Nanking until costly diversion o.
naval, air and ground forces drove
him from the north bank.
6. Co-ordinated nuisance" at
tacks in half a dozen important
North China areas while govern.
ment commanders concentrated
their strength in Manchuria ane
Shantung.
New Attacks Around PaOtins.
These include. in addition TO Shih.
kiachwang's capture, new attack.
around the Hopeh Province capita.
of Paoting, inhltration into the real
of the governments front lines in
Shantung, strong foray into
northern Kiangsu Province. north
of Nanking, and increasingly heavy
pressure against government posi-.
tions protecting approaches to the
old Communist capital of Yenan.
Fighting Of the past three months
mas again ocLlOIlSGTdIcu tIldt CAis
Chinese high command has not yei
been able to hold and control areas
won in battle.
Almost without exception, oppos.
ing Communist commanders hav'
evaded frontal combat, inflltratins
or skirting the main government
force and showing themselves aftel
the Nationalists have moved on.
Because of this fact, 1t may b'
said that in Shantung the govern
ment and Communist forces merely
exchanged positions, which in thi
case was a swap in favor OF th'
Nationalists since they got Chefoo
While the government was takini
over that port and other coasta
areas, from 100000 to 175,0 900 Com
munist troops slipped back into Cen
tral and Western Shantung, wher'
they are fighting again.
There is disagreement amoni
Markings armchair strategists owe
whether the Communists fall often