Hankow, Jan. 17, Military circles here believe that the Chinese armies will shortly take the offensive on all fronts, A Trans-coun representative was reliably informed that this offensive may be expected within the next two weeks fand that It had been prepared by recent concentrations of troops a3 well a by the measures taken by General Chiang Kai-shek for a re~ organization of: the whole Chinese officers corps.
It Is anticipated that the struggle will be especially bitter on, the northera front, where on the "on liliand the Japanese are apparently termined to capture Hauchow, the Important railway junction on the Tientsin-Pukow and Lunghat Lines, at all costs as proved by their advance fon the city from four sides simultaneously. "On the other hand the Chinesd are no less determined essist to the wimest.
Chinese military circles stress that 4 general offensive had been planned for come time but that its carrying out had been delayed by the neces sity of eliminating all unreliable off core, The principal aim of the offensive Is said to be to prevent the Japanese concentrating sufficient troops at any given point to enable them to break through the Chinese lines.
Tt is believed that the offensive will begin ons the northern front, where the concentration of Chinese forces along the Tientsin-Pukow, Pelpingand Lunghai railways has now been
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