the Yangtze valley approaches to the city are well commanded by hills, while, the level ground is not'continuous but spreads itself across the river irregularly and is nowhere much more: than 20 miles in width.
Hankow lies near the southwest corner of China's. immense central plains, and south and west of it the mountains offer secure refuge from Japanese penetration. To the south one can travel both by rail and river to Changsha, an important city on the railway, China's vital supply link the Sea at Hongkong.
If flood difficulties should increase and the Yangtze valley itself be seriously affected the invaders' communications can lie along the 50-mile wide plateau based on the Tientsin-/Pukow Railway between the Yangtze and Huai River val In 1981, it may be recalled, the yangtze rose 58 feet at Hankow. A recurrence to this extent would flood the river port of Pukow and seriously hamper supply for the Japanese un-ess they have already established suf-Jacient base supplies northward on the thigh ground. In 1991 the flood areas southwest of Hankow were much Jereater than those between, Hankow China Disappointed at
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.