Show Attacks Throws Japs cick BATAAN DRIVE WRESTS FOES FOES' i ADVANCE LINE U. U Philippine S. Hold Troops Half Mindanao WASHINGTON Feb 26 INS INS In In an un unexpected c x pee ted smashing counteroffensive on on Bataan peninsula General Douglas Douglas Douglas Doug Doug- las MacArthurs MacArthur's troops have forced advance Japanese units i to retreat and fierce fighting still is is in progress the war war department department department de de- de- de reported Thursday News of the thrusts counter all along MacArthurs MacArthur's MacArthurs MacArthur's lines lines created created a sensation in view of the fact that the Japanese for weeks have been expected to launch an out all-out drive against the defenders In a tightly worded com unique the war dep department nt gave the world this news news In a surp surprise e thrust General MacArthurs MacArthur's troops in Bataan attacked attacked at at- tacked sharply fell along the line capturing a nu number ber of the enemy enemy's advance position Japs Forced Back Baele I The attack was particularly successful on the right wh where e forward elements of the Japanese 4 l troops were forced to withdrawS withdraw draw several kilometers ers The hou bO bover ever ver stated stat V ed d. d th that that C the main Japanese pol positions thins ha have e. e not noL been penetrated d. d but the audacity of MacArthurs MacArthur's brilliant stroke could not be b denied de de- de nied At the same time MacArthur reported that small bodies of American and Filipino troops are continuing to harass Japanese In guerilla fighting with considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able success MacArthur also als disclosed that American and Filipino troops still hold at least half of Mindanao an island on the southern end nd of the Philippine ar archipelago miles iles so south th of B Bataan peninsula a. a Report Patrol Action For the first time in more than thana a month the war department stated stated stated stat stat- ed that desultory patrol action is reported from Mindanao Army spokesmen explained that defenders are entrenched behind an almost impenetrable line of mountains and jungles north of the Jap held area around This disclosure was made when MacArthur reported that the enemy enemy enemy ene ene- my has been reinforced at Mindanao Minda Minda- nao by a detachment of Japanese marines marines For weeks the Japanese have been pouring in reinforcements of men and materiel for what the Japanese have promised would be bean bean bean an attack to crush the defenders who have held out for nearly 12 weeks |