Major events of this period

The Straits Times, July 8, 1937 •Japan Captures Two Military Towns •Chinese troops shot down in retreat •Heavy Fighting Reported Near Peiping Severe fighting between Japanese and Chinese forces has broken out near the strategic railway town of Fengtai, a few miles south of Peiping, according to Japanese messages received in Tokio (say Reuter). A Japanese communique claims that the Chinese military stronghold of Liuwangmiao and the walled town of Lukouchiao have been captured. Firing with light artillery and machine-gun is audible in Peiping, these reports state. A battalion of the Hopel 29th Route Army staged manoeuvres at midnight in the neighbourhood of Fengtai station. The Japanese and Chinese commands rushed reinforcements to the scene where it is reported, fighting broke out. A severe engagement is reported to be taking place. A Japanese communique issued in Tientsin states that Liuwangmiao, a Chinese military stronghold, has been occupied by the Japanese, who are pursuing and machine-gunning the retreating Chinese troops. Scores of Chinese troops have been killed. Japanese troops are entering the walled town of Luckouchia and disarming the Chinese troops there, continues the communique. The Tientsin-Peiping telephone line has been cut. Early this morning the Japanese military headquarters issued a comunique stating that one officer was killed and several Japanese soldiers wounded, and that fighting in the Fengtai area, which started at 5.30a.m. was still going on. Fighting ended at 9.30a.m. after the Japanese had shelled Wangping small walled city near famous Marco Polo Bridge, destroying several houses, says a late Reuter message from Peiping. Armistice was declared at 10 a.m., the Japanese conditions specifying the withdrawal of the Chinese forces from the Lukouchiao district by 11a.m. The present trouble is not unexpected, according to Sin Chew Jit Poh. Rumours have been circulating for some days of an autonomy coup about to be staged in the Peiping-Tientsin area. One story said that under cover of Japanese military manoeuvres, Chinese autonomists would attempt to seize the railroads and towns in North Hopei, including Peiping and Tientsin. In the light of latest developments, special significance is attached to a warning sounded yesterday by a Japanese military attache in Tientsin. Denying that the Japanese military was exerting pressure on Gen.Sung Che-yuan, chairman of Hopei-Chahar Council, now absent for several weeks’ on leave at Loling, Northern Shantung, the attache said: "We hope, however, that Gen Sung will reconsider the position of North China. If Nanking's Centralisation plans for the North are carried out they will bring grave consequences." Fengtai is a strategic station on the loop line linking the Peiping-Tientsin and Peiping-Hankow railways. The Japanese North China Command some time ago stationed a garrison at Fengtai, the force is being gradually increased. Now the strength is estimated at about 1,000 men. Moses' start page Chee Beng's start page Nura's start page Leslie's start page Previous Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.