Hankow, June 6.
The capture of Kaifeng, capital Renan, by the Japanese is dented in a Chinese military communique fesued here today, which admits, however, that Tanfong has been fovnciiated by the Chinese Last evening, the statement says, a emall Japanese detachment afler cussing 1 breach in the city wall, entered Kaifeng, but were foreed to} Fotire after desperate street Aghting.
The Japanese are said at present to be al lacking Kaifeng in two columns: one concentrating on the Yailway station and the other heavily shelling the north-western part of the culty. wall.
TraMe of, the Peiping-Hankow Railway between Chengchow and Hankow Ss said to be normal.
'Tu speaking of the situation on: the! Honan' front, the Chinese military spokesman today reiterated his asser-lon of last week that the Chinese did not Intend to fight a decisive battle the level plains of Honan.
phe Kaifeng and, south Honan arcus," he said, "are sulted for the operations of "artillery and me~ ehenlzed units, Since the Chinese army docs nol possess strong cavalry, aiillery and mechanized units, our military taelles 1s not to dispute possession of fixed positions but to pro-{raet the war wherever possible, "When topographical conditions are favourable {0 the Japanese, we avoid them, but If we have an opportunity to deal them a blow we shall do so trated a large force in level plains After the Japinese have concen trated a large force in: level plains it Is very dificult for us to attack Driven from Kaifeng, reports said, were the Sist and the 82nd divisions of the Central Army, equipped with eld guns and trench mortars.
Beginning late yesterday afternoon, Japanese artillery concentrated its fre on the north and cast gates of the eily and the northeastern corner of the wall.
When the Chinese sandbag barrieades in the area were reduced to a pulp, the Toyama detachment attacked the wall and quickly drove the defending force beck.
Under the protective cloak of darkness, the Toyama unit charged up sand dunes to the wall, and then into the fear-gripped city, below.
While units of the Toyama detachment wore rapidly furrowing their way through the explosion-lit narrow streets, the Inouye detachment at-tucked the north gate.
"The north and the cast gate fell almost " simultaneously. The ' south fate was cleared of the Chinese an hour later.
"Mopping up" operations were completed by this morning.
Tu being the first to enter Kaifeng, the Toyama detachment displayed markable mobility, for its drive on the city was originally begun om the north bank of the Yellow River, northwest of Lanfeng.
Reports received here early in the afternoon claimed that the retreat of the Chinese troops from Kaifeng was cut by a mobile Japanese column east of Chengchow, Driving westward along the Lune hai Railway. the Japanese unit' suddenty veered south and cut the Kat-feng-Chengchow highway ahead of the retreating Chinese—Domel.
Following mopping-up operations the main body of Japanese troops mode a formal entry Into Kaifeng at 2 o'clock this afternoon, The easy victory of Japanese forces at Kaifeng was attributed in part to the demoralization of Chlnese troops which had been badly Battered at Hsuchow and repeatedly al lacked by Japanese planes.
According to information from Pel ing. Japanese troops which occupied Kisien, southeast of Kaifeng, Tune 3 crushed about 20,000 Chinese Chinese lostes were placed at 3.000 Jdend. They abandoned 20,000 rounds fof ammunition and numerous arms, the report sald—Domel, Chinese 0 "Entice" Japanes 'Hankow, June 6- No official confirmation' of the fall of Kalfeag is yet forthcoming here Dut a. leading article inthe "Ta Kung Pao" thie morning hints at the yeesibility of a retreat of the Chinese briny from the plain of Honan to the strongly fortied~ mountainous dis Wiet_ which forms the southern see-for of the Peiping-Hankow railway, The paper stresses that euch a re at would entail considerable ad-Vintages for the situation of the Chinese army considered as a whole, "The "Ta Kung Pao" refrains from commenting upon the present milltary situation but declares that the of the Chinese high command is less fo protect Hankow than to raise amenities for the Japanese troops by tieing them inia the interior of the country, Reports of the collapse of the Chinese front at Hotel are denied here. it is asserted that the situation in that sector amains unchanged. On the other hand it is admitted that the activity of the Japanese has in-greased in the northern part of Snhwel province where the Japanese itcops Nave occupied Chengyuangkewan—Reut
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.