BATTLE OF ASIA: Controlled Retreat

The Jap was pruning the deadwood off the scraggly tree of his Chinese conquest. He took his time about it, and harassed the Chinese armies at every turn—but he retreated. For him the most valuable part of China lay north of the Yangtze River, and he had to return there to defend it. Last week the withdrawing movement gave the Chinese the big prize of Wenchow, ancient treaty port on the east coast. Its occupation increased the Chinese-held coastline to 280 unbroken miles. Another and bigger prize, due to fall momentarily, would be Liuchow, onetime U.S. air base.