Chinese feeling pressure of Japanese offensive in Central China.

ACTION SUMMARY: Fighting continued around the central Chinese city of Changsha as approximately three Japanese divisions engaged some nine Chinese on two fronts NW and SE of the city. In a bid to choke off the valiant defenders of Changsha, the enemy is advancing under cover of dive-bombers that continue to harrass the Chinese entrenchments day and night. NW of the city, a Japanese assault incurred nearly 1,500 casualties in just a few hours of fighting.

As the threat against Chang Kai Shek's hold on Central China continues to worsen, the China Command ordered the forward deployment of three fighter groups and one bomber group to Humen and Henghchow where they can offer close air support. The battle developing around Changsha appears to be the heaviest ground fighting yet, and it continues to heat up. But with little aerial reconnaisance for the Chinese forces, there is little to tell how many Japanese divisions are following up.



In addition to air units, three Chinese divisions are pulling back near Hengchow to shorten lines, and deliberate flanking advances are being made by two brigades from the city itself.

Elsewhere, activity was very quiet in every sector. Poor weather across the Pacific curtailed air operations on both sides, giving the Allied flotilla in Manila a day's reprieve to continue their Redoubt operations ferrying supplies to the Bataan fortress. Japanese warships (including a handful of heavy cruisers) continue to prowl about the Phillipines, waiting like sharks for any Allied vessels that sortie from Manila Bay.

ADBA's Task Force 3 continues to sail up Borneo's coast for a night-time bombardment of the Jolo Airfields. A Japanese sub was sunk NE of Pearl Harbor, and another was depth charged off Los Angeles. Three Fullback convoys reached their destination, including two at Andaman. The other convoy is already evacuating Victoria on the west coast of the northern Malay Peninsula.

That's it. Here's the war room: