Referring to the strength of the Chinese army, the War Minister declared: "We have over 300 divisions, with 5,000,000 soldiers in' the field and 10,000,000 more in reserve or in training behind the lines, Over 300,00 guerrillas are harassing enemy garrisons and lines of communication, while more than 600,000 regular troops are operating behind the Japanese lines,"
General Ho Ying-ching said the biggest Chinese victory in the fourth year was won in early February this year, when the Japanese in three columns, attacked southern Honan, advancing 200 kilometres in one week. Once the supply lines were extended, however, he added, the Chinese counter-attacked and recovered all lost ground—also in one week—"inflieting 20,000 casualties."
In the four years of the war the Chinese have succeeded in destroying over 1,000 Japanese air-Craft, according to official figures released by the Chinese air force.
Of these, $21 are claimed to have been shot down by Chinese planes; 250 destroyed on the ground; 170 shot own by enti-aircraft fire; 186 shot down by ground forces: 97 destroyed by guerillas, and 45 crashed behind Or close to Chinese lines.
These figures, it is added, do no include Japanese planes damaged and unlikely to have returned to their bases, ror those lost in accidents behind the Japanese line Fifty-four Japanese airmen were taken prisoner by the Chinese, it is further claimed, while more' than 1,200 dead Japanese airmen were found,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.