Drive Through Hupeh is Continued; Columns Close In on Tangyang With Japanese Forces in S. Hupeh, June 9.
The town of Ichang, nerve centre of the Chungking Fifth War Zone, has been thrown into utter confusion with the receipt of constant reports of the Japanese offensive across western Hupeh, a Chinese deserter taken by Japanese forces Saturday at Hojung, 60 kilometres east of Ichang, disclosed.
Japanese units smashing through western Hupeh in three columns last night were only seven kilometres from Tangyang, in the heart of the Chungking Fifth War Zone, a summary of field dispatches showed today. The detachments were re ported to be closing in on the strategic city from the north, west and south.
The western column, advancing along the Kingmen-Ichang highway, yesterday afternoon reduced Yukiho, 10 kilometres north-east of Tangyang and moved on to take positions in the hills seven kilometres from the town, the dispatches reported.
At the same time the reports stated, the northern force dislodged Chungking troops from Wuanshan Mountain, 20 kilometres from Tang-yang, killing 116 enemy soldiers and faking 25 prisoners.—Domei.
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