The Japanese tactics, Col. Taka-hoshi proceeded, caused' confusion in the ranks of the Chinese forces, who began a general retreat to Mengchen, about 45 miles north-west of Pengpu, ud to Suhsien on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway, about 30 miles northwest of Pengpu. In consequence of this retreat, the Chinese suffered a serious setback at the very outset of' the Japanese advance.
n. Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese staff officer declared, had attached exceptional importance to the battle for Hsuchowfu—"taking Hsuchowfu as an all-inclusive term"—and had tried to divert Japanese attention by ordering attacks in the Wuhu and Hangchow sectors, and, at the sime time, instructing the Chinese troops at Hofei to advance directly north in &n effort to halt the flanking movement which the Japanese were ex-acuting. In each case, however, the Chinese tactics had failed, largely on account of their inferior equipment, their low morale, and' their poor attacking strength, According to Chinese prisoners, Col. Takahashi proceeded, the 172nd and 176th Kwangst divisions who hed been moved to Mengchen from Showhsien fled westward when they were bombed by Japanese aeroplanes.
Concerned by the developments north of the Hwai River, General Chiang Kai-shek ordered' some of his own troops and those under Generals Sun Lien-chung, Feng Chi-an and Liu Ju-mei to rush south; buy this attempt to halt the Japanese failed "because of the rapidity of the Japanese advance and the efficacy of the attack."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.