“Woosung Village Ablaze; Chinese Hold Out; Japs Take Kiangwan,” Brantford Expositor. February 20, 1932. Page 1.
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GREATEST BATTLE SINCE GREAT WAR
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Japan's War Machine Bloodily Pounds Way Through Stubbornly Resisting Chinese Lines At Kiangwan - Earth Literally Quiver- ed Under Fury of Japanese Onslaught From Land Air and River — Shock Troops Followed Artillery Barrage
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BY MORRIS J HARRIS
(Copyright 1932 by the Associated Press)
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SHANGHAI, China, Feb. 20 — (AP) — Lieutenant-General Kenkichl Uyeda’s snappy war machine bloodily pounded its way inch by inch through stubbornly resist -ing Chinese lines at Kiangwan to-day in the most terrific battle the world has seen since the Great War on the opening day of Japan’s onslaught upon Shanghai.
The earth literally shook and shivered with the fury of the Japanese attack Dozens of roaring airplanes rained showers of the most powerful bombs upon the well-covered Chinese trenches. Heavy artillery and big guns from the warships in the river laid down a red tempest of death and fire along a sixteen-mile front from Chapei to Woosung.
Steel-helmeted rows of Japanese shock troops with sharp and glistening bayonets followed the powerful artillery barrage aided by a fleet of tanks which nosed their way stubbornly across the marshy battleground. It was only a short time until the ambulances began rushing to the hospitals carrying wounded of both sides.
CHINESE RESIST STUBBORNLY
In the Kiangwan sector where the Japanese tried desperately to puncture the zig-zag Chinese line defended by two divisions of the crack troops of General Chlang Kai-shek, former Chinese president, the fighting was most severe. The Japanese threw their heaviest attack against this centre, hoping to split the Chinese line and envelop both of its ends at Chapel and Woosung.
Japanese naval officials announced shortly after noon that the Japanese had taken Kiangwan but the Chinese immediately denied it, declaring they had pushed the Japanese back and overcome a fleet of their tanks with a hand grenade barrage, putting one of the tanks out of commission
A SLOW ADVANCE
Later in the day it appeared to observers that the Japanese were making a slow advance with every inch of it disputed by a galling Chinese resistance. The Japanese said Chinese artillery shells struck one of their destroyers in the river, killing a captain and five men.
Five shells fell In the international settlement landing in the area patrolled by the United States marines, narrowly missing the marines' billets, and greatly endangering their position. Three Chinese were fatally wounded and others were seriously hurt by these shells The shells were believed to have come from" a Chinese battery in Chapei.
BRITISH INTERRED
Soon after the Japanese offensive started a long funeral procession threaded the streets of Shanghai. It was the funeral of the two British sailors who were fatally wounded by a shell last Wednesday.
Approximately 1500 people marched in the procession, including the British, United States, and French ministers to China. British consular officials in full uniform, military bands, detachments of marines and sailors, and a number of officers of foreign units stationed here.
AIR BARRAGE
The battle, probably the most world -shaking military event since the world war, began at 8.50 a.m., exactly one hour and 50 minutes after the Japanese ultimatum expired. With the zero hour, Japanese airplanes swooped over the well-covered Chinese "Hindenburg” line with a roar, releasing tons of high explosive bombs on the Chinese defenses. They were followed by a tremendous burst of heavy artillery fire and screeching shells churned the Chinese positions, covering them with clouds of smoke and dusk.
Japanese naval officials said both sides had suffered sharp casualties at Kiangwan, which they maintained was defended by two divisions of former President Chiang Kai-Shek’s Chinese army but that no figures were available.
Woosung village was set afire by the bombardment of Japanese destroyers. A cloud of dense smoke poured forth from the embattled town and several fires also could be seen in the Kiangwan district to the south of it nearly as far as Chapei.
WOULD BLAST CHINESE
Late in the afternoon, Japan's aerial bombers Increased the intensity of their attack upon the area west of Kiangwan. Reports said they were using the most powerful bombs in their desperate effort to blast the Chinese from the complicated network of trenches extending in zig zag fashion to the north and to the south of that point.
Semi-official Japanese sources said the heaviest attack was being centred around Kiangwan in the hope of capturing it and executing an encircling movement on Chapei. The two divisions of General Chiang Kai-Shek’s army were understood, however, to be putting up the stoutest resistance.
The first batch of wounded to be brought back from the front were Chinese. By noon, however, the Japanese casualties began arriving at the base hospitals in the Hongkew area. Twenty wounded were unloaded from two heavily loaded trucks.
