Show Struggle to Death Looms at Shanghai B By HERBERT R N Copyright 1932 byU SHANGHAI Wednesday y Feb 2 24 tOh 2411 11 i. i e e. e I Japanese strengthened their then forces today or ell S t. t gle for possession of the Shanghai delta delta- 1 Th The campaign promised to be long lonc and deadly The Japanese failing ailing to sweep away the Chinese army in their first sweeping drive as the they had planned halted the offensive last night to await reinforcements A reliable source said Japan was as ready to send whatever troops were necessary even en to five or more divi- divi Continued on Page Three IDEA DEATH TH BATTLE I LOOMS IN CHINA CHINAI I Continued from Pa rue Page e One which would mean an addition of or more than men Sporadic cannonading went on early earS ear earSly ly today and some buildings buildings' blazed near the settlement but the situation generally was quieter Foreigners considered the Japanese strategy poor since their right flank was exposed exposed ex ex- posed to a Chinese attack from the Woosung concentrations Advances were therefore considered unlikely kely until reinforcements arrived The Chinese heartened by their success in holding off orr the Japanese attack strengthened and consolidated their positions busH busily erecting trenches and concealed machine gun nests presenting the Japanese with witha a formidable problem of clearing them out without heavy losses Four shells believed fired from Chinese Chinese Chinese Chi Chi- nese guns struck the Italian battleship battleship battleship battle battle- ship Libia last night it was revealed today One of or the shells pierced the Libia's plates a foot fool above the water line Earlier reports were that the Libia had not been hit but that shells were coming so close Italian officials had protested to Chinese military authorities While the Ninth Japanese division was expected to hold the lines at reliable Japanese Information tion here said that Japanese reinforcements could be expected to arrive before the end of the week eek The information was based on advices advices advices ad ad- vices from Crom Tokio saying that the Eleventh and Fourteenth divisions had been ordered to Shanghai ATTACK FAILS The offensive was suspended after aHer a heavy artillery bombardment and anda a Japanese infantry attack failed to make a gain against the heavily In in- trenched reinforced Chinese Chinee The offensive was called off oU at 3 p. p m. m 2 a. a m. m New York time The Chinese reinforcements at Ta Ta- zang and had moved into the front lines during the fight The first Japanese attack failed to dislodge dis lodge them Chinese continued their harassing attack on the Japanese after alter suspension suspension suspension sion of ol the offensive but never in any considerable force Snipers were busy behind the Chinese lines One bullet struck a stovepipe at the Japanese headquarters during durin the morning |