Shansi-Honan Border, May 12 Fighting desperately to stem the sweeping Japanese advance which threatens 0 enclose them in a ring of steel, thousands of Chinese troops comprising the Third and Bighth Armies were this morning attempting to form new lines in the mountainous sectors near Plngluhsien, in extreme Southwest Shansi Province Just north fof the Yellow. River, military" have Chungking forces outside the Japanese encircling operations were core forces on reported by. aerial observers. to streaming toward. Kuangkowty, Pelchangisun and. Tachichen, fording points on the north Bank of the Yellow River.
Military' Junks full of retreating Chinese troops were at the mercy of powerful Japanese army alr units Which repeatedly strafed and bombed Both fording pointe and vessels Stiempling to make" the crossing. Observers reported that 20. junks aden with troops and equipment Were sent to the bottom, fuh the Chinese In general rout, defection "among. the enemy" forces Were frequent. "Yesterday afternoon, More than 2000 enemy troops sur? fendered." Included among' these Were Gen, Chang. Kuelcho, Vii Commenter of the Second Divine adjutant of the Seventeenth Army, 2 well aa two staff ofoers Completely encircled ata point ertneat of id han, approximately 600 Sortheast of shan, approximately Chungking troops'surrendered to the SSapanese,, 'Reports from the for imoct front Hines roveaieg that. the crat of the Chinese forces has sunk {o's low level because of the deeslating' attacks carried out Japane troops supported by arilery and the al force.
Besides the fording points, Jepancso army aircraft have cartied out testant raids on, Chungking tco0p supply concentrations, Found tempting to move up to, the front Lines, 2,000 Chinese troops "on the triarch fi a northward direction from Loyang, im northern Honan Province, were. simest annisilateg: when" sur! Dried by a Japanese alr unit which twreakea" "save by." repeatedly machine-gunalag' and" bombing the column, Other troop concentrations northern Honan and southern Shansi were bombed with deadly eftective-
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