The Chinese army's April offensive is something of a mystery, or else it is a new departure in military tactics. Not only has the offensive been denied in Chungking, the reports having been described as "premature," but also the principal news about it comes from Japanese despatches which describe how Ch.rcc2 attacks on many fronts have been repeatedly repulsed This is a departure frab the usual technique of military propaganda. In the past it has too often been the case that Chungking has claimed the capture of cities before even an attack has been made upon them; but almost invariably these claims have been followed up by some form of drive in the cities direction. Any success has been publicized to the full, frequently before it has been achieved, and it hi been left to the Japanese communiques prove that the successes either had never o curred or had been greatly exaggerated. Now however, Chinese despatches claim little more than successful counter-attacks in different regions where they might be expected; whereas the Japanese accounts tell of numerous la scale engagements in which the Japanese have driven off hordes of Chinese. Too much significance should not be attached to the reports from either side. Observers believe it possible that the Japanese have gone as far into the interior of China as they intend, though they may still find it necessary to capture Changsha In this case they would naturally be on the defensive, to hold what they had got, while the Chinese could legitimately claim to have won a victory whenever they took back some small part of the lost territory. It is more likely, however, that the Chinese April offensive is something quite different from what has been outlined in the news telegrams from the fronts. It is probably a large-scale permeation of the areas within the Japanese lines with trained troops, as distinct from guerillas, whose objective will be to harass Japanese communications and prevent the economic exploitation of the conquered districts. Such a move would be more likely to worry the Japanese General Staff than a series of frontal attacks, which could for make much headway against superior armaments and scientifically-constructed de-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.