Japanese Attack Said to Have Failed as All Towns Are Denuded of Supplies; South Active Chungking, July 27, 1
Japanese drive into the Taihong Mountains, South-East Shansi, has ended in failure, according to Chinese military dispatches received here today from the Shansi front.
They attribute the Chinese success to the following facts Complete withdrawal of the Chinese populace, supplies and foodstuffs from towns attacked by the Japanese, rendering it impossible for them to remain in occupation.
Vigorous attacks on the flanks and the rear of Japanese columns by Chinese mobile units.
Heavy rains which held up communications and brought to a standstill the operations of Japanese aircraft and mechanized units.
Chinese forces are said to have launched a general offensive at dawn of July 25 against the Japanese troops fat "Yangehen, which is. reported. to have been recaptured by the Chinese atler heavy fighting, "in which both sides suffered heavy' casualties.
The Japanese are reported to be withdrawing in two columns towards Chingchen and Sinshui—Reuter, Many Diculties Chungking, July 2 The Japanese forces in south-west Shansi were facing many dimeulties Decase of the mountainous nature of the district and also because of heavy rains, which were hampering Japanese communications, declared ihe Chinese military spokesman in commenting on the war situation in Shans.
Tu view of the fact that the Japanese driving into the Taihong mountains possessed superior equipment, the spokesman said, the Chinese were veoncuntiating: thers wifot's' on attack Ing the Japanese flanks and rear.
'As a result, he added, the two opposing forces' were at present hope-Tessly interlocked at many points. in the vicinity of Yangchen and Ching-
Troops Withdraven Chungking, July 25.
A number of Japanese army divisions was withdrawn from. the Yangtze, Valley on the "spur of the moment? the Chinese military spokesman asserted. today One Jepanese division was. ithe drown fiom. the south banke of the Yangtze River between the. Poyang ind Tungting Lakes, he added. Altogether, four divisions "from fecture north of the Yangtze, river have been withdrawn, Some of these Aivsions moved away slong. the TentsinePukow oilway tine. while others departed for Japan, the spokesman. continued, Nevertheless, there has been, "no pulling in-of the Japanese tines" the Tpokesinan said. He added that the depleted. Japanese garrisons. were holding. all the ines but, that ecent "Chinese earapaigns north of the Yangtze River had resulted. in the recapture of Tsalyang, Teaoyang, Ringpal and Tangho, all west of the Pingrhan Teilway, Chinese line East of the Ping-han Railway, Chinese ttoope have recaptured Lo-Shan; Huang lid us towns approximately in line with Hsinvang, the, Chinese" spokesman claimed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.