Large numbers of Chinese soldiers are in full retreat westward following the failure of their attempts to encircle the Japanese garrison at Lanfeng, according to -Japanese reports from the front yesterday morning.
The reports said fifteen divisions of Chinese troops totalling about 200,000 attempted to encircle Lanfeng from three directions but their counterattacks were defeated and they suffered more than 20,000 casualties.
Pilots of Japanese scouting planes reported large Chinese columns in full retreat westward from the region south of the Yellow River, Chenliu, 25 kilometres south-east of Kaifeng, end the area west of Chihsien, south of Lanfeng.
Several trains loaded with field guns were observed moving westward fom Hsinglungtsi, 15 kilometres east of Kaifeng.
The Chinese retreat was attributed by Japanese officers to the fact: that
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