In China last week the Japanese held all but 50 of the 450 miles of railroad between Nanchang and Hangchow, and they strove mightily to close the last gap. Chinese counter-drives did not stop them. The Japanese had nearly completed the first step in gaining control of an overland route all the way from Shanghai to Indo-China, Siam, Burma and Malaya. That would remove a great load from their transports and warships. And it would bring China perilously close to defeat.
In fighting far to the south, around Linghsien, Chinese troops found themselves with too few grenades to throw at...