Hankow, Dec, 22.
Although the deliberations China's leading statesmen with the Kuomintang coneening the organiza [tion of Chinese resistance have nol yet been concluded, well informed Jquarters are able to give some indi cations of the measures to be taken.
'The various war fronts will be Jdivided into five districts, In each of which a single man will' be resper sible both for military and political admfhistration, with the object of Jattaining in each district the greatest possible measure of concentration of all forces, he first district will be formed by the province of Shantung and the northern part of Kiangsu, through which the Tientsin-Pukow railway Tine Funs. The second will comprise Honan, the third the provinces. of Shansi and Shensi, the fourth Anhwei, any Japanese attempts to land troops there—Kuo Shantung Position Critical Shanghai, Dec. 28.
'The situation in Shantung province is becoming more and more critical since the Japanese, according to Intest reports, have crossed the 'Yellow River at three points, namely Chinho, Chiyang and Loku, 10,000 having' crossed. at the last-named point. From Chinho the Japanese fare pushing forward in the direction of Chochen after having occupied Chinchen so that Tsinanfu is now in. imminent danger. The military authorities of that city have therefore ordered that the measures for defence be completed with redoubled Shanghai, Dec, 24, Extending their front on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, Japanese forces earlier this week featured "Tsaopaichen and Chang paling in the face of strong Chinese resistance, a Japanese military spokesman announced yesterday morning, More than 1.000 bodies of thei fallen comrades were left behind by the Chinese who refronted north, ho 'Téaopaichen is about 20 kilometres north of Yangchow, while Chane Jpaling is 22 kilometres north of Hsubsien, "Ton railway freight ear-Were captured in the latter booty taken during the the spokesman said, included eleven railway passenger ' coach: four automobiles and trucks, four wench mortars, 1,000 bays of rice and 1,000 bags of wheat, Shans! Offensive Feared Hankow, Dee. 25, Japanese offensive in the of "Shansi, whose capital Taiyuan was occupied by the Japanese some {ime ago, is expected to be aunehed shortly. the Japanese considerably strengthened their forces this sector during the last fow days, so that four divisions are now Jassembled in the province, The greater part of this army has been concen {rated along" the Talyuan-Shiehinchwang railway line, The paper "Shao Tung Pao" de-Jclares that the Japanese étfensive wilt find the Chinese troops ready for a counterattack for which the preparations are completed and which is only delayed ponding the arrival of final instructions from General Chiang Kai-shek, In the southern part of the province of "Shansi which, with the western part of that province, is still in Chie hose hands, order lias been completely restored and the population have turned to their homes, In the north-Jem part of the province which is hela by the Japanese Isolated rom= nants of the Eighth Army, the former "Red Army" are carrying on guerilla warfare, it is declared, and in north /Shansi as well ay on the border of the three provinces of Shansi, Hopet and Charhar, several towns and vil= lages are claimed by the Chinese to have been recaptured by irregular In the last few days—Trans-Ocean, Mopping up in Mopet Generals Han Fuchu and Li Chung-Jen who exercise the military command over Shantung province have declared that it will seaively bbe possible to prevent the Japanese from invading the province because the Chinese soldiers though greater in number are notable to combat successfully the modernly equipped Japanese troops.
'Phe defence of the province, how-jover, Chinese circles declare, will be [determined and unrelenting' so that any ground gained by the Japanese will cost them dearly.
Shihchiachwang, Dec. 25.
Japanese "mopping up operations against Chinese Irregulars in south Hopel province were nearing compl tion to-day as a result of vigorous sation by Japanese punitive forces during the past few weeks.
Three hundred Chinese troops, in cluding remnants of. Sung Cheh jyuan's Hopel-Charhar Army, surren [dered to Japanese forces at Pingshan, west of Shihchiachwang; 250 others from Wuki and 300 from Changshut on the south-western border Ukewise gave up their resistance, it was an-
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