The War

Dramatis Personae:

Super-Tuchun Chang of Manchuria, opposed in the North to Super-Tuchun Wu.

Super-Tuchun Wu, head of the Peking forces opposing Chang.

Tuchun Chi of Kiangsu, aggressor against Shanghai, ally of Wu.

General Chang Yung-ming, commander of Chi's army.

Tuchun Lu of Chekiang, defender of Shanghai, ally of Chang.

Military Commissioner Ho, Lu's aide in Shanghai.

General Lu Tung-hsiang, commander of Lu's army.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen of Canton, "perpetual rebel," allied with Chang.

Fall of Shanghai. After a series of battles lasting over a month, the city and district of Shanghai, largest port in China, were surrendered by the Lu troops to the army of Tuchun Chi. The bloodiest fighting in the whole campaign took place immediately before the surrender.

It was reported that Generals Ho and Lu Tung-hsiang had escaped to Japan, but confirmation was lacking. The whereabouts of Tuchun Chi was not divulged. Victorious General Chang Yung-ming set about restoring order into chaos. The Shanghai-Nanking railway, seized for military purposes at the beginning of the campaign, was restored to the civil railway authorities.

The discipline of the Lu army, numbering about 30,000 men, was naturally not good. Some of the troops declined to surrender except on payment of $20 apiece; others looted buildings on the docks, stole materials valued at $1,000,000. The Foreign settlement, enclosed by barbed-wire entanglements, was reported to be safe; guards were rein- forced, nevertheless, as a precaution.

The fall of Shanghai was, of course, a victory for Super-Tuchun Wu and left him free to concentrate his forces upon Super-Tuchun Chang in the North.

In the North. Minor battles took place along the Chihli-Manchurian border; no decisive results were obtained. A great battle was thought to have been started, but was only in its developing stages.

In the South. In Canton, where Dr. Sun holds precarious sway, days of street-fighting, between his so-called "Red Army" composed of la- borers, and the "Merchant Fascists," terminated in a disastrous defeat for the latter. As a result of the fighting, a large section of Canton was destroyed by fire, causing damage to the extent of $7,000,000. The position of Dr. Sun was obscure.

In Japan. The Japanese Government announced that, owing to the situation in China, it would keep troops at Port Arthur (Southern Manchuria) although it had intended to withdraw them. It was also an- nounced that the military establishment in Korea (part of the Japanese Empire on the Asiatic mainland) would be maintained at full strength.