THE SITUATION IN CHINA
I. —ADVANCE OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY—
Press Section, War Department
Recent activities of the Japanese military forces in China have centred in the drive up the Yangtze River. This drive has been made possible by the brilliant cooperation of the three arms of the Japanese forces, land, sea and air. Anking, capital of Anhwei Province was captured on June 12th. The next immediate objective was the important Chinese military base at Hukow, standing at a point on the Yangtze, about 20 kilometres downstream from Kiukiang and about 120 kilometres from Hankow.
After the Japanese troops completed their withdrawal from the area flooded as the result of the destruction of the southern dikes of the Yellow River by Chinese troops, their operations upstream along the Yangtze became more active. The Japanese took Tsienshan on June 17th and Tikang, about 40 kilometres above Wuhu, on the following day.
Certain Japanese troops taking part in the drive left Anking on June 23rd and effected a landing on the southern bank of the river at Hsiangkow in the face of the enemy. The Hsiangkow district was cleared of Chinese troops who were pressed westward and routed.
In this engagement of June 24th, the enemy left 305 dead, 305 rifles, 13 light machine-guns and 3 heavy machine-guns. The Japanese took 126 Chinese soldiers prisoner, including a staff officer of the Chinese Navy. The Japanese casualties totalled 15 injured.
On June 26th, the Japanese occupied Matangchen, a strategically important town on the southern bank of the Yangtze, by dislodging the comparatively well-equipped Chinese troops from their positions on the southern bank of that River. Pengtseh was taken on June 29th and also Shihpoling south of it.
On June 30th, the Japanese crossed the stream to the west of Pengtseh. At noon, July 2nd, they broke through the enemy positions at a height near Liuszekiao (about 16 kilometres east of Hukow). Maintaining their drive, the Japanese broke through strong Chinese positions from Wutsun to Tsomapan (7 kilometres east of Hukow), the main defence line of Hukow, at 1 p.m., July 3rd. The Japanese occupied Hukow at 6 p. m., July 4th. The following morning, the Japanese forces made a triumphant entry into Hukow.
In the engagements from the Japanese landing on the bank east of Hsiangkow on June 24th to the occupation of Hukow on July 4th, the Chinese losses are estimated at 6,000, including 3,000 dead left on the field. The Japanese spoils of war included 100 horses, 20 guns, a large number of rifles and revolvers, two gunpowder magazines and 10 motorcars.
The Fowning Sector
The Japanese Garrison at Fowning left Fowning late in June and moved southward, when part of the remnants of Chinese troops attacked the rear of the Japanese column. The Japanese then turned back and started a clean-up campaign against the remnants of Chinese troops which were practically routed by the morning of July 15th.
Along the Yangtze River
While the Japanese forces were advancing on Tsienshan north of the Yangtze River and also on Hukow on the southern bank of the river, General Chiang Kai-shek apparently formulated a plan for encircling the Japanese troops from the Tapieh mountain range north of the Yangtze and also from the southern bank by concentrating about 15 divisions of troops near Tsienshan north of the Yangtze and about 12 divisions on the southern bank of the river. His plan was frustrated by timely counter-attacks launched by the Japanese forces.
Since then there has been no change in the situation. About 100 Chinese soldiers made three attacks on the Japanese positions at Maotsashan, about 8 kilometres east of Hukow on July 14th and 15th, but were repulsed by the Japanese on every occasion.
Reduction of Kiukiang
The Japanese military force which had been preparing a further drive upstream since its occupation of Hukow on July 4th resumed operations on July 23rd.
The Takahashi and Satoh detachments at 2:40 a.m., July 23rd crossed Poyang Lake and effected a landing near Kutang, southwest of Hukow in face of the enemy. Successfully battering Chinese positions in a mountainous region despite the intense heat, these detachments reached the line between Choukialing and Matsushan by noon, and about 4 p. m. advanced to the line connecting Tsinchuanshan, Tatingshan and Wuchangting.
On July 24th, the Japanese troops broke through the strong enemy positions between Kiaochuang and Tsaikiatang. By 8 a. m., the following day, they reduced the eastern half of a height 3 kilometres southwest of Kuakaoshan. At midnight, the Japanese vanguard entered Kiukiang, which was completely occupied by 7:30 a. m., July 26th, with all remnants of Chinese troops routed.
Kiukiang is an important port town on the Yangtze, being the northern terminus of the Nanchang-Chekiang Railway. As it is only 200 kilometres from Hankow by the overland route, Kiukiang forms an important military base for the defence of Hankow.
The Japanese operations along both banks of the Yangtze River are progressing favourably. The Japanese force south of the river conducted operations against the Chinese troops in the Lushan mountain range after taking Kiukiang on July 26th, while another Japanese force north of the river frustrated the Chinese attempts to recapture Taihu, occupied Susung in southwestern Anhwei Province and also Hwangwei in southeastern Hupeh
Province. The Japanese operations against the remnants of Chinese troops near Kashing in Chekiang Province are also making steady progress.
The Kiukiang Front
On July 26th when the Japanese troops took Kiukiang, part of the Japanese force attacked Hsuchuang west of Kiukiang in pursuit of the retreating enemy, while another part dislodged the enemy from Szetzeshan (Lion's Hill). Some eight Chinese divisions engaged the Japanese at Kiukiang, but left 3,700 dead, 3 ten-centimetre guns, 2 field-guns, 2 anti-aircraft guns, 6 mountain-guns, several machine-guns, and large supplies of arms and ammunition. The Japanese detachment operating in the Lushan mountain range south of Kiukiang reduced part of the enemy positions on July 29th, by defeating two Chinese divisions under General Wu Chi-wei.
The Taihu, Susung and Hangmei Fronts
The Japanese troops which occupied Tsienshan, an important town in southwestern Anhwei Province, started a drive on Taihu on July 25th. The Hasegawa and Nakano detachments occupied the line connecting Wukiafailu, Fenghsiangpu and Hwangnikang at 10 a.m. The enemy, covered by an artillery force which had taken up positions at Kwanyinsze and Takiaotao, offered stiff resistance.
The Sano detachment occupied Takiaotao at 7 p.m., July 26th, by crossing the Chang River, while the Hasegawa detachment at 5 p.m. took the enemy artillery positions at Kwanyinsze and within an hour reached the eastern bank of the Chang River, about 700 metres east of Taihu.
Japanese military air units effectively bombed the enemy positions at Taihu on July 26th in cooperation with the Japanese ground forces. After dislodging the Chinese troops from their positions in the mountainous region, the Ogata, Ejima and Fujimura detachments at 11:20 a.m., July 27th reduced Taihu, a strategically important town in southwestern Anhwei Province. The enemy which consisted of the Chinese 31st army under General Wei Hsueh-Sung fled toward Hwangmei in southeastern Hupeh Province. The Chinese troops attempted not only to check the Japanese western push at the height northwest of Liangtingho but to launch an attack on Taihu in an effort to recapture it. But their attempts were frustrated by Japanese counter-attacks. The Japanese force, on the evening of July 28th, reached the line extending west and east from Liushuho (about 8 kilometres north of Taihu) and on July 30th routed the Chinese troops driving them northward. Part of the Hasegawa detachment reached the line of Liangtingho on the evening of July 27th.
The Japanese right column, the Nakano detachment, dislodged the Chinese troops from the villages at the southern base of the Tapieh mountain range early on the morning of July 28th and occupied Mayinpu, about 16 kilometres south of Kiangtingho, by 9 o'clock.
The Hasegawa detachment which formed the left column reached the district near Junpingtan about the same time and on the evening of July 31st occupied Erhlangho. On August 1st, the Japanese troops broke
through the Chinese positions at Chiehling, the border village between Anhwei and Hupeh Provinces, and entered Hupeh.
The part of this detachment that had advanced along the Taihu-Susung road from Liangtingho, started a general attach [sic] on Susung on the afternoon of August 1st covered by artillery fire and reduced it at 6 p.m.
On August 2nd, Japanese troops started a converging movement on Hwangmei in southeastern Hupeh Province, operating from Chiehling and Susung. At 4 p. m., the same day, they succeeded in occupying Hwangmei, which is a strategically important town in southeastern Hupeh Province, being only 200 kilometres away from Hankow.
South of the Yellow River
The inundation of the Yellow River, caused by the breach of the southern dikes on the part of the Chinese troops in a desperate attempt to check the Japanese drive on Chengchow and also on Hankow, steadily abated during the month of June, although toward the end of the month the waters rose again. During July, the Japanese troops in the flooded area completed their withdrawal to other places.
Prior to the Japanese withdrawal, a small Chinese unit attacked the Japanese troops near Kanglu, about 8 kilometres west of Weitze on June 20th, but was easily repulsed, leaving many dead. Judging by the dead bodies and also statements given by Chinese soldiers who were taken prisoner, the enemy belonged to the Chinese 24th division of the Central Army.
The Japanese troops followed up their victory, by attacking the Chinese positions southwest of Weitze and dealing crushing blows to the Chinese 20th and 24th divisions.
The Shansi Front
The Chinese troops in southern Shansi Province became active with the arrival of fresh troops from Tungkwan. Especially active were the Chinese troops at Wensi, which attacked the Japanese positions frequently though without success. According to statements given by Chinese prisoners, the Chinese 14th division established headquarters west of Kianghsien in southwestern Shansi Province where the Chinese 83rd and 84th divisions were stationed.
About 3,000 Chinese soldiers armed with mountain-guns and trench-mortars attacked the Japanese positions at Hotsin in southwestern Shansi Province at midnight, July 22nd, but were repulsed with heavy losses by the following dawn. The enemy left 120 dead besides 15 soldiers who were taken prisoner. The Japanese casualties totalled 1 killed and several injured.
Part of the Japanese troops which advanced to Yangwu routed the Chinese at Yuanwu at 6 a. m., July 29th. The same evening, the Japanese concentrated at Hsiaochichen. In the engagement, the enemy left 200 dead, but no casualty was suffered by the Japanese.
The Chinese troops in southern Shansi Province were comparatively well-equipped, possessing tanks and 12-centimetre trench-mortars. Those
which had taken up positions along the Kwei River formed the mainstay of the Chinese force, consisting of about 10 divisions of the Central Army under General Wei Li-huang. They apparently planned to recapture Shansi Province, taking advantage of the battle of Hsuchow and its aftermath in which large Japanese forces were concentrated there. Consequently, the Chinese troops in southern Shansi Province launched a pitched battle against the Japanese instead of their past guerrilla warfare.
On July 6th, the Japanese troops started general attacks on these Chinese troops from Sinkiang to Kuwo in the west and at Tachiaochen in the east.
The following day, the Japanese broke through all enemy positions. On the afternoon of July 7th, part of the Japanese force entered Kianghsien. The following morning, the Japanese troops gave a running fight to the Chinese, and at 11 a.m., July 12th reached Wanchuan.
The Japanese force operating in the Kianghsien area pressed the enemy southward into a defile and reached Wanglingkwan on the evening of July 11th. The centre of the Japanese force advanced to the area north of Yuncheng on the evening of July 11th and launched an attack on the enemy round Yuncheng.
Prior to this, part of the Japanese garrison at Yuncheng had moved north toward Wensi and on the afternoon of July 5th defeated a Chinese detachment east of Wensi. It proceeded to cut off the retreat of the Chinese troops from Kuwo and Howmachen.
The Japanese detachment which was attacking the enemy positions near Siyangtsun (about 20 kilometres east of Yuanku) in southeastern Shansi Province in concert with the Japanese military operations in other parts of that province, succeeded in breaking through the enemy positions on July 11th and entered Puchang. The main body of the enemy which was composed of the Chinese 17th, 83rd and 116th divisions fled southward across the Yellow River, while part fled into the mountains in the north.
The Morimoto detachment which reached a point north of Yuncheng on July 11th, after defeating the enemy on the way from Kuwo to Yuncheng dispersed the Chinese troops which had been besieging Yuncheng and entered the town on the afternoon of July 12th. All Chinese troops in the Yuncheng district were routed westward by July 15th.
Part of the Yamazaki detachment which entered Wanchuan at 11 a.m., July 12th drove northwest and occupied Tunghuachen.
Part of the Japanese force reached Ishih on the evening of July 13th, while other Japanese detachments started a general attack on Anyi on July 13th.
Another Japanese detachment, which pursued the enemy from Kianghsien toward Yuanku, reached Wanglingkwan on the evening of July 11th and Wangmaochen at midnight, July 12th. Two days later, this Japanese detachment effected a junction with the Japanese troops which had been operating at Siyangtsun and Puchang. Wangmaochen is only 12 kilometres northwest of Yuanku on the Yellow River which forms the southwestern border of Shansi Province.
The Mongolian Front
Japanese forces started operations in June against the Chinese Communist
troops which had been infesting northern Shansi Province from early in that month and successfully concluded the campaign on June 29th. In 19 engagements, the Communist troops left 670 killed, 130 horses, 81 rifles, 7 light machine-guns and other arms. The Japanese casualties totalled 7 killed and 12 injured.
As the successful result of the Japanese clean-up campaign, a large number of Communist soldiers and bandits are now surrendering to the Japanese in Inner Mongolia. Some of those who are given necessary guidance for following peaceful pursuits, while some are employed by the Federated Autonomous Government of Inner Mongolia as auxiliaries in combating the bandits.
So far, 4,000 Communist soldiers and bandits have surrendered, including those under General Yu Tzu-ho, while seven more applications, involving 2,000 soldiers, have been made to the Japanese authorities for surrender.
Activities of the Military Air Force
Chinese bombing squadrons have recently increased their activities. On July 24th and 25th, Chinese bombers raided Japanese positions in China six times, but no serious damage was sustained by the Japanese side. The Military Air Force is now standing by to crush the Chinese Air Force.
At 11 a.m., July 26th, four Japanese military planes encountered over a dozen Chinese planes of E 15 and 16 types west of Anking. In the ensuing battle, the Japanese succeeded in shooting down 9 Chinese planes over Lake Poyang.
THE SITUATION IN CHINA
II. — FORCES OF THE IMPERIAL NAVY IN ACTION —
Publicity Bureau, Navy Department
Activities of the Naval Air Force
The Japanese Naval Air Force has been cooperating with the Japanese naval and military forces in their drive on Hankow along the Yangtze River and keeping up its attacks on the military establishments at Canton, Foochow and other important towns in South China and on the Canton-Hankow Railway.
An outline of the activities of the Japanese Naval Air Force in China from July 5th to August 8th is given below.
July 5th Naval air units, while cooperating with the naval and military forces in their drive up and along the Yangtze, bombed the Chinese positions at Taihu in southwestern Anhwei Province. Naval planes led by Lieutenant-Commander Sonokawa repeatedly attacked Taihu and destroyed the enemy headquarters there. Chinese troop concentrations at Taihu were also attacked. An air unit commanded by Lieutenant Murata blew up over a dozen junks, containing Chinese troops near Taihu, while another group led by Lieutenant Taoka attacked a Chinese troop concentration southeast of Taihu and inflicted heavy losses on it.
July 6th The Naval Air Force was active in Central and South China. Several units attacked the Chinese positions on both banks of the Yangtze, while another visited Kienow in Fukien Province and effectively bombed the airfield there. Still another detachment raided Foochow, capital of Fukien Province, bombing the barracks and wireless station.
July 7th Another raid was made on Foochow, where the garrison headquarters were bombed. Several points on the Canton-Hankow Railway were bombed together with the airfield at Samshui. A goods train was attacked and overturned south of Pakonghow on the Canton-Hankow Railway, while the station compounds at Yingtak were attacked. The airfield at Samshui was again raided and the hangars and runways there were destroyed.
July 8th Wusueh on the Yangtze River above Kiukiang was visited and the enemy positions and troop concentrations there were attacked.
Chinese planes made four raids on Anking, but no damage was sustained by the Japanese side. Three Chinese planes were shot down, including two which were brought down by Japanese naval pursuit planes.
The Canton-Hankow Railway was attacked near Yingtak, where the track was disrupted at four points. Several godowns in the station compounds were bombed. Over 100 junks near Yingtak were blown up.
July 9th A large naval air unit led by Lieutenant-Commander Tanamachi and Lieutenant Nakajima raided Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi Province, and bombed the old and new airfields. Unchallenged, the Japanese raiders bombed and burnt five blocks of buildings, including hangars and aeroplane shops.
A naval air unit commanded by Lieutenant Mihara visited Hengyang in southern Hunan Province despite the cloudy weather and bombed the airfield there, defying a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft guns. Four out of over a dozen planes on the ground were bombed and burnt, while two more were destroyed.
The Japanese naval air units operating along the Yangtze River visited Tienkiachen above Kiukiang and bombed the enemy positions there. Other enemy positions on both banks of the Yangtze were also attacked.
July 10th The airfield at Sinyang in Honan Province was attacked. Tienkiachen was again raided, where the enemy positions were bombed. Taking advantage of the improvement of the weather in South China, several naval planes attacked Bocca Tigris Fort on the Pearl River.
July 11th Naval planes visited Yuantan on the Canton-Hankow Railway, destroying the steel bridge nearby. Enemy positions near Yingtak were attacked and the railway bridge near Yingtak was destroyed. Sheklung Station on the Canton-Kowloon Railway was bombed and the steel bridge nearby was damaged. The Chinese positions at Tienkiachen and between Kiukiang and Hukow were attacked.
July 12th Hankow and Wuchang were visited by Japanese planes which bombed the enemy positions and barracks at Wuchang. The enemy anti-aircraft fire was very fierce, but all the Japanese planes returned to their base safely.
In addition to the raid on Hankow and Wuchang, Japanese naval planes visited Ichang, Yunghsiu and Yushan in Central China and bombed the airfields there. Not a single Chinese plane challenged the Japanese raiders who noticed only three real planes and some dummy ones on the ground.
Naval planes operating along the Yangtze bombed and silenced the enemy artillery positions at Szetzeshan (Lion's Hill), below Kiukiang in cooperation with the naval force on the Yangtze. Two Chinese warships were bombed and burnt near Tienkiachen above Kiukiang.
July 13th Two out of several Chinese heavy bombers which raided a point below Hukow were shot down by Japanese naval pursuit planes.
July 15th Nanchang was raided and 15 out of 22 Chinese planes in the airfield there were bombed and destroyed, while the hangars and shops were heavily damaged.
The Chinese artillery position at Szetzeshan (Lion's Hill) was completely silenced by Japanese naval planes.
July 16th A large number of Japanese naval planes flew to Hankow in formation and bombed the airfield. Two large-sized planes and one medium-sized plane on the ground were destroyed. In the ensuing air combat, the Japanese raiders succeeded in shooting down 2 bombers and 8 pursuit-planes, of which one is unconfirmed, out of 25 Chinese planes. All the Japanese planes returned to their base safely. Kishui in eastern Hupeh Province was also raided; the Chinese positions were bombed
heavily.
Changmutao Station on the Canton-Kowloon Railway was bombed and the track near there was disrupted at three points. Japanese naval planes raided Yingtak and Shakow on the Canton-Hankow Railway and destroyed the railway tracks and station buildings.
July 17th Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi Province, was raided again and 7 Chinese planes in the airfield there were bombed and destroyed, while the hangars were also damaged, including one which was burnt.
Naval planes operating along the Yangtze heavily bombed the Chinese positions on both banks of the river below Kiukiang, including those at Taohuashan and Sinkang.
Canton was visited. Wongsha Station, terminus of the Canton-Hankow Railway, was bombed with the result that six buildings in the station compounds were destroyed and the track was disrupted at four points near the station. Chinese military works and munition factories round Canton were also bombed and damaged, while the military arsenal at Pakonghow on the Canton-Hankow Railway was bombed and burnt.
July 18th A large Japanese naval air force led by Lieutenant-Commander Matsumoto and Lieutenant Nango bombed the airfields at Nanchang.
When the Japanese planes appeared over the new airfield at Nanchang, they found that about 15 Chinese planes were taking the air to escape. Pursuit-planes commanded by Lieutenant Nango gave chase to and shot down 8 of them. Japanese bombers, led by Lieutenant-Commander Matsumoto, bombed and burnt 7 out of 12 Chinese planes which failed to leave the field. Finding that all the ammunition of their machine-guns were exhausted, several Japanese bombers made a daring landing on the Chinese airfield and set fire to the Chinese planes which had hitherto escaped.
Another naval air unit led by Lieutenant Watanabe attacked the old airfield at Nanchang, but found no enemy planes. There were several dummy planes on the ground. This unit returned to its base after heavily bombing and destroying various installations in the airfield.
In the unprecedented air combat over Nanchang, Lieutenant Nango, commander of the Japanese pursuit plane unit, shot down one of the 15 Chinese planes which was taking off. Lieutenant Nango was turning upon another Chinese plane, when the first plane shot down by him crashed, taking an unexpected course, and struck the left wing of his plane. Lieutenant Nango's plane broke up and he crashed to death with his machine.
Naval planes operating along the Yangtze kept up their bombing of the Chinese positions on both banks of the river, including those at Szetzeshan and Sinkang.
Naval planes visited Pakonghow on the Canton-Hankow Railway and bombed the munition factories there and also raided the Canton-Kowloon Railway and destroyed the track near Shatsun.
July 19th Hankow was raided again. Defying a fierce barrage from anti-aircraft guns, the Japanese raiders flew low over the airfield at Hankow and machine-gunned over 20 Chinese planes on the ground, including some dummies and burned 5 bombers of the SB type, one Northrop and one Douglas plane. Ten other planes, including bombers of SB type and Northrops were also damaged. Another Chinese bomber of the SB type was
shot down when it was taking the air.
Wuchang and Shechan were attacked and the military barracks and machine-gun emplacements there were bombed. Two Chinese military transports were bombed and sunk and two more were damaged and sent adrift near Yenchi above Hwangshihchi. Chinese positions on both banks of the Yangtze near Kiukiang, including Paishihchi, Lankiangchi, Sinkang, Szetzeshan and Hsiachukiao were bombed.
In South China, Pakonghow on the Canton-Hankow Railway was visited; its military arsenal and godowns were bombed.
July 20th At Yochow on the northeastern shore of Lake Tungting two Chinese warships and one transport were bombed and sunk, and four more warships were heavily damaged. Several lighters were also sunk.
In South China, the military arsenal and godowns at Pakonghow on the Canton-Hankow Railway were bombed and destroyed. Lohchong Station was visited and two engine-sheds together with four godowns were bombed and burnt. The Canton-Kowloon railway was disrupted at Sheklung.
July 21st Naval planes flew over Sinyang on the Peking-Hankow Railway. The station compounds were bombed and burnt. One goods train was also destroyed.
Naval planes operating along the Yangtze River bombed the Chinese positions on both banks of the river, including Sinkang, Paishihchi and Szetzeshan. One Chinese transport was bombed and stranded near Weiyuankow, while over twenty military junks were bombed and sunk. The military works near Weiyuankow were also bombed and destroyed.
July 22nd Naval air units visited Hankow, Siaokan, Kingmen, Ichang and Changsha in Central China and bombed the airfields there. Two medium-sized planes and one large-sized plane were bombed and destroyed. There were many dummy planes in the airfields, but not a single Chinese plane challenged the Japanese raiders. Two Chinese planes took the air at Ichang, but fled away.
The Canton-Hankow Railway and the Canton-Kowloon Railways were disrupted at Sinkai and Sheklung respectively.
July 23rd Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, was visited and the airfield there was bombed. Four medium-sized planes on the ground were destroyed.
Attacks on the Chinese positions on the Yangtze River were resumed, including those near and below Kiukiang. Canton was visited again and the military works and munition factories in and round the city were bombed, including those at Tsengpu. The Canton-Hankow Railway was attacked near Saitsun and Shakow where three steel bridges were destroyed, while a goods train was bombed and damaged.
July 24th The Canton-Hankow Railway was attacked near Lienkonghow, Wongteh and Shakow and steel bridges and tracks were destroyed.
July 26th Attacks on the Chinese positions on both banks of the Yangtze River were kept up, including those near Kiukiang, Hsiaochikow, Tean, Shihlipu and Hwangshihkang. One Chinese gunboat was bombed and sunk at a point about 3 miles upstream from Hwangshihkang.
July 27th The Canton-Hankow Railway was attacked at Yochow and Sienning, where godowns, goods trains and tracks were bombed and destroyed.
The Nanchang and Chekiang Railway was attacked near Tean and Siushui, where remnants of Chinese troops were bombed or machine-gunned. Two Chinese heavy bombers were brought down by Japanese naval planes at a point southwest of Hankow and west of Wusueh.
July 28th Japanese naval planes operating along the Yangtze River continued their attacks on the Chinese military positions on both banks of the river, including those at Tienkiachen, Kichun and Susung. Several Chinese military junks also were bombed and sunk. Changshuchen west of Nanchang was visited where the airfield was bombed.
July 29th Tatung in Anhwei Province was visited and the base of operations for remnants of Chinese troops was bombed.
July 31st Three Chinese gunboats were bombed and stranded together with one small Chinese steamer above Kiukiang, while over a dozen Chinese military junks were also bombed and burnt.
August 1st Naval planes operating along the Yangtze River attacked the Chinese military positions on both banks of the river extended over a distance of 200 miles with Kiukiang as centre, including those at Kichun, Tienkiachen, Hwangshihkang, Hwangchow and Hsinchow. Three Chinese gunboats were bombed and sunk and three more destroyed. Three small gunboats also were sunk and five more damaged.
The Chinese troops destroyed the dikes of the Yangtze River at Kanhu, about 10 miles above Kiukiang in a desperate attempt to check the Japanese drive on Hankow.
August 2nd The Japanese Naval Air Force was active both in Central and South China. Sinyang and Kwangshui Stations on the Peking-Hankow Railway were visited and the godowns there were bombed and burnt. The Canton-Kowloon Railway was attacked at Changping, where godowns were destroyed. The Chinese military positions along the Yangtze River were bombed, while a large Chinese transport was sunk near Kichun.
August 3rd A large Japanese naval air unit flew to Hankow and attacked the airfield. In the ensuing air combat, the Japanese raiders succeeded in shooting down 32 out of over 50 Chinese planes including Gloster Gladiators, those of the E 15 and 16 types and Curtis-Hawks. Seven Chinese planes on the ground were also bombed and destroyed. Two Japanese planes were lost.
Sustained attacks were made on the Chinese military positions along the Yangtze River, including those at Wusueh, Twanfeng, Hwangshihkang and Tienkiachen.
One Chinese gunboat and another small gunboat were bombed and sunk between Wusueh and Twanfeng together with over a dozen junks which were loaded with munitions. A Chinese troop concentration near Pengtseh was attacked.
August 4th Nanchang was raided and the munition dumps and godowns in the railway compounds were bombed and destroyed. Over a dozen Chinese junks loaded to capacity with munitions were bombed and sunk near Kichun and Hwangshihkang.
August 5th Attacks on the Chinese positions along the Yangtze River were continued, including those at Hwangshihkang, Tienkiachen, Yangshanchi and Yangshan. One steamer, one large steamer-launch and a small
steamer, together with several junks were bombed and sunk near Hwangshihkang. The Canton-Kowloon and Canton-Hankow Railways were attacked at Shektan and Chuntien, Yinchanyao, and Yuantan respectively and the railway tracks and steel bridges at those places were bombed and destroyed.
August 6th Another big raid was made on Hankow. Bombing squadrons were led by Lieutenant-Commander Mano and pursuit plane units were led by Lieutenant Nakajima. The Japanese raiders bombed and burnt 8 out of over 20 Chinese heavy bombers of the SB type and destroyed 7 more. Eight godowns in the airfield were bombed and burnt together with munition dumps. Not a single Chinese plane challenged the Japanese raiders, while the Chinese anti-aircraft fire was remarkably slack. All the Japanese planes returned to their base in safety.
In South China, Lishui and Yushan were visited; the local airfields were attacked. Yinchanyao on the Canton-Hankow Railway was raided and the steel bridge nearby was bombed and destroyed.
Chinese military positions along the Yangtze River were attacked again, including those at Echeng, Hwangshihkang and Yangshanchi. Two 700-ton steamers and three 100 to 200 ton mine-layers were bombed and burnt near Hwangshihkang and Echeng.
August 7th Nanchang was raided again by naval planes under the command of Lieutenant Soyeda. The airfields and railway station were bombed and destroyed. Two big godowns near the station were damaged, while about 30 newly-built godowns were destroyed on the Kankiang River to the west of the station.
August 8th Chinese positions along the Yangtze River were attacked again, including those at Echeng, Lanchichen, Tienkiachen and between Wuhu and Anking. One 800-ton transport was bombed and burnt near Echeng, while one 1000-ton transport was bombed and stranded upstream from Lanchichen.
The headquarters of the gendarmerie, Provincial Government offices, Municipal Government offices and an electric power station at Canton were bombed and damaged.
The Drive on Hankow
The Japanese naval and military forces which left Anking, capital of Anhwei Province, about June 23rd succeeded in occupying Hukow, a strategically important point on the Yangtze on July 4th, successfully fighting against foul weather and swirling muddy water in the Yangtze, sweeping mine-fields and removing booms. Their successful drive upstream was the result of coordinated cooperation between the land, sea and air forces.
On June 13th, when Anking was occupied, part of the Japanese naval force immediately started a drive upstream to sweep mines and remove booms. The following day, it reached a point 15 miles above Anking, by repulsing the enemy air raids and silencing the enemy positions on both banks of the river. On June 29th, the Japanese naval force succeeded in breaking through the booms at Matangchen, which were claimed by the Chinese to be impregnable. The Japanese Navy thus succeeded in controlling
the Yangtze between Matangchen and Shanghai, a distance of about 440 miles. From Anking to Matangchen, 250 mines were discovered and disposed of. On July 10th, a Chinese torpedo-boat was shelled and sunk in Poyang Lake by a Japanese gunboat. The Japanese drive upstream from July 15th to August 4th is described below.
July 15th The Chinese gunboat Pingming, about 200 tons, was bombed and sunk at a point upstream from Kichun and Tienkiachen by a Japanese naval plane. Japanese warships and naval planes attacked remnants of Chinese troops in the mountainous region northeast of Hsiangkowchen.
July 16th Naval planes bombed and sunk two 200-ton Chinese transports between Kichun and Wusueh together with several junks.
July 17th One 200-ton Chinese transport was bombed and sunk near Wuchengchen on Poyang Lake, while a 50-ton military tugboat was also bombed and damaged.
July 19th Japanese warships effectively bombarded the Chinese positions near Szetzeshan (Lion's Hill).
July 20th Warships heavily bombarded the Chinese positions on both banks of the Yangtze River near Hukow in cooperation with the Naval Air Force.
July 23rd A joint drive on Kiukiang was started by the Japanese naval and military forces, which had been making preparations since July 4th when they reduced Hukow. Part of the naval force successfully covered the landing of military units on the shore of Poyang Lake. Another part of the naval force shelled the enemy artillery positions on both banks of the Yangtze near Kiukiang and silenced them. By breaking through the mine-fields successfully, the Japanese warships reached within striking distance of Kiukiang on the evening of July 24th.
July 25th In the morning when it was observed that the Chinese troops at Kiukiang showed signs of wavering, the commander of the Japanese naval force ordered the Japanese warships to enter Kiukiang. By defying the fierce artillery fire from the Chinese positions on both banks of the Yangtze, by machine-gunning Chinese troops on the banks and breaking through the mine-fields, the leading warship of the Japanese naval force entered Kiukiang at one o'clock in the afternoon, followed by other vessels which all entered Kiukiang by 3 p.m. Kiukiang, strategically the most important point between Nanking and Hankow, fell into Japanese hands.
Meanwhile, the vanguard of the Japanese naval force reached a point about 3 miles above the city where it cut off the retreat of the Chinese troops from Kiukiang. A special naval landing party also landed at a point above Kiukiang. The Naval Air Force fully cooperated with the naval and military forces in their drive on Kiukiang, by bombing the Chinese artillery positions on both banks of the Yangtze and efficiently covering the landing of the military force on the shore of Poyang Lake.
July 26th By 8:30 a.m., Kiukiang was completely occupied by the Japanese forces. The landing party occupied the area from the old British concession to the West airfield, while the military force held the other parts of the city.
July 29th Japanese warships attacked a large-sized junk loaded with mines and sunk it at a point above Kiukiang.
August 1st Chinese troops breached the dikes of the Yangtze River at two spots in a desperate attempt to check the Japanese advance. The breach caused at Kanhu between Kiukiang and Hsukiawan was about 5 metres wide, while the breach near Hsukiawan was over 100 metres wide. The alarmed local Chinese people immediately started repair works.
August 4th The Japanese naval force bombarded the Chinese positions and troop concentrations on both banks of the Yangtze River above Anking. Three Chinese heavy bombers raided Hukow, but fled before a barrage of anti-aircraft batteries from the Japanese warships.