In Burma, Japanese troops attack Toungoo, the original training base of the Flying Tigers. Lt. Gen. Bill Slim, new commander of Burcorps, aims to hold the Japanese on the Prome- Toungoo line, blocking two roads. Between the roads is 80 miles of jungle and hills, with no connecting roads. Two Chinese armies hustle down to Toungoo to block that route. While Chinese divisions are the strength of British brigades, they are good troops with years of experience in fighting the Japanese.
British forces are in poor shape, too, demoralized and in retreat.
17th Division has been on the run, and 1st Burmese is untested. Slim's HQ's radio batteries have to be recharged by operating a pedal-driven generator. Slim has one trump card, though, the 7th Armoured Brigade, superior to the tankless Japanese. The US and New Zealand agree that the US shall have responsibility for the defense of American Samoa and Western Samoa, a New Zealand possession. All 6,000 citizens of this market town near Warsaw are driven to the market place and forced to watch the execution.