The spokesman produced the telegrams which had been exchanged between the Generalissimo and Gen [Chiang Kwang-ngai and Gen. Taal "They reveal" he said, "frst, that the Generalissimo gave advice not to take the offensive till a certain date, when, he stated, reinforcements would arrive in Shhanghat;, secondly, that he urgently emphasized that the line of defence was weak be-on the Yangtze, not single soldier was stationed to' pre int a possible landing by the Japanese troops, and he strongly advised that at least two regiments be placed there; thirdly, that in one telegram Jointly signed by Gen. Chiang Kwang gal and Gen. Teal Ting-kal, those generals agreed to abide by the advice of the Generalissimo.
"Despite the telegraphic acceptance of the advice they did not station the troops, as urged, at Luiho, so that when Japanese troops appeared there, as foreseen by the Generalissimo, they were able to land without opposition, and both Gens. Chiang Kwang-ngai and Tsai Ting-ical, without permission from the' Government, and entirely upon their own responsibility, order-Jed the 19th Route Army to retreat jand they abandoned their original position. Most unfortunately of all, when they did retire they. did, not tell the Sth Route Army anything lof their intentions, and that force, being completely ignorant of what was happening during those fateful hours, continued fighting their flank exposed all through the night, the result being that great numbers Jot them were killed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.