Evening star., 1949-05-12
Communists Il Miles
Northwest in Drive
Against Shanghai
By fhs Asseeiotsd Press

By me Asseeietsd pFsss
SHANGHAI, May l2.-Red
forces pushed to within 81 miles
of Shanghai today.
Two separate Communist at
tacks were underway. The nearest
was at Taichang, 21 miles to the
northwest. Bitter fighting there
was reported by the Shanghai
garrison communique.
A force southwest Of this great
Asian city had reached Shihutang.
o hamlet IS miles southwest Of
Shanghai. Government troops
there were reported holding firm.
Fighting unprecedented"
On the Central China Hankow
fronts Central News Agency de-
scribed fighting Of unprecedented
fury raging" But from the size
Of forces involved this action
seemed to be on q small scale.
The Shanghai garrison ordered
all government departments out
Of Shanghai within two>weeks.
The communique indicated the
Communists had made a sub
stantial advance from Kashan.
about so miles southwest Of the
city. This would put the south
west prong Of the Red forces and
the northwest force about equal
distance from Shanghai. The
northwest front was described as
flexible, ranging from Il to 25
miles from the city.
The Taichang action was de-
scribed as fairly heavy. The Reds
threw two regiments against the
Nationalists under an artillery
barrage. The communique said
the government troops inflicted
heavy casualties and beat of the
attackers.
Reds Tanning Out.
The communique said Red
troops at chenmu. which. lies
south of Kunshan, a city 40 miles
northwest Of Shanghai, suffered
90 casualties when the National
lists there counterattacked. This
action suggests the Communists
are tanning out in q widening
northwest front.
Central News said Hankow resi-
dents heard the rumble Of ar
tillery and many Of them made
for cover. The government, the
news agency said. sought to dis
lodge the Reds from Santaochao,
O village q few miles north OF
Hankow. The news agency said
the Communists Withdrew to
Niehkow, about 13 miles north OF
the Yangtze port Of Hankow.
Red losses in the Hankow fight
ing we're put at 400 men. Gov
ernment losses were described
as SO.
The Chinese Air Force, mean
time, reported 200 Communists
were killed in the eastern suburbs
Of Kashan. southwest of Shang-
hal. That seems to indicate the
Reds, who attacked from the
West, have swarmed through
Kashan. But the garrison here
has not announced fall Of the
city. D.
May Flank Sunkiang. "
Military observers were inter-
ested In q report that Commu-
nists were active around Tsingpu,
some 35 miles west southwest OF
Shanghai. This might indicate
an attempt to flank Sunkiang.
last remaining large city south
west of Shanghai stu in the
hands Of the Nationalists.
Dispatches to the newspaper
ein Wan Pao said Communist
forces in Kiangsi Province. far to
the South Of Shanghai. were head
ins for Linchwan, about SO miles
southeast. of Nanchang. This
might be an effort to cut the rail-
road between Nanchang and all
important Changsha.
Changsha is on the Hankow-
Canton railroads. road which
Gen. Pal Chung-hsi. Hankow
commander, will have to defend
II he is to keep O line Of retreat
open.
AS the Reds swung this force
westward below Nanchang toward
Human Province, word reached
Shanghai in q dispatch to the
newspaper Shun Pao that they
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