Evening star., 1942-12-19
initiative Taken First
Time Since May; Jops
Offer No Opposition
BY the Associated Press.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 19.-British
troops have crossed the Indian
border and advanced some 4C
miles into Japanese-occupied
Burma to the Maungdaw-Buthi-
daung area, about go miles
northwest Of Akyab on the Bay
OF Bengal, the British announced
today.
The British advance, started aftel
q terrific aerial bombardment O,
Japanese positions between the In.
dian border and Akyab, was made
without opposition. Japanese force.
withdrew before the approaching
British, the communique said.
Both British and United States
planes have been blasting japanese
concentrations between the Indiar
frontier and Akyab for a week.
While there was nothing to indi-
cate that the British thrust was part
OF a general allied offensive, the
action did put the initiative in Allied
hands at least temporarily for the
flrst time since the Japanese occu-
pied Akyab last May.
Size of Force Not Indicated.
There was no indication of the
size Of Gen. Sir Archibald p. Wa
vell's attacking army, and the COM
munique did not disclose whether
American and Chinese units were
taking part in the action.
Gen. Wavell, commander In chief
OF British forces in India, launched
his attack-the first step toward the
promised reoccupation of the former
British protectorate-as the mon
soon season ended, permitting large
scale operations.
The monsoon period had held the
India front in a state Of
stabilization for six months. There
was no immediate explanation al
to why the japanese chose not to
defend the positions they had built
along the border.
During the past few days" the
British communique said, some of
our troops have advanced south
ward from the Arakan border into
Western Burma and occupied the
Maungdaw- w-Butidaung area about
go miles northwest of Akyab.
THE enemy, who had been in
occupation Of this area since our
withdrawal from Burma and had
prepared defenses withdrew with
out offering opposition"
Thrust Aimed at Akyab.
The British thrust obviously was
aimed at Akyab, an important
Burma port which was occupied by
the japanese May 8, winding up to
all practical purpose the campaign
in Burma.
For the second day in succession
the RAF yesterday attacked the
Japanese-o occupied village of Rath-
edaung, about halfway between
Maungdaw and Akyab. Heavy dam
age was inflicted on the village and
fires were left burning.
Fighter planes swept down the
Mayu River, searching out japanese
concentrations. The Mayu flows
into the Bay of Bengal few miles
nOrth OF Akyab.
Akyab was hit by bombers last
night, but the results of the raid
were not announced
Brig. Gen. Clayton L. Bissell,
commander of the United States air
forces in China, Burma and India,
disclosed only yesterday that the
United States 10th Air Force based
in India had gone out on as many
as i4 raiding operations in one day
during the last week without the
loss of single plane by enemy ac-
ton.
Potential Threat to Allies.
Akyab is only 300 air miles from
Calcutta, India, and in Japanese
hands it always would be a potential
threat as a base for a Japanese at
tack on India.
Gen. Wavells thrust into Burma
did not follow the route of Gen. Sir
Harold Alexander's fighting retreat
along the Chindwin River through
Northern Burma to the Assam bor-
der last spring. but hit the Japanese
on the flank along the Bay of Ben
gal.
While the scope of the present op-
Grafton was not Immediately appar-
ent, the ultimate United Nations
aim is to reconquer Burma and re-
open the Burma road, permitting
the resumption of large-scale ship
ments of war supplies to China.
There have been reports recently
that the Japanese were massing in
Burma for a renewal of the drive
along the Burma road to Running
through Yunnan Province of China.
The British advance may be in
tended to divert the japanese from
such an action, as we'll as to fore
stall an assault against India from
Akyab toward Chittagong.
Stilwell in India.
Somewhere in India Is 1t. Gen
Joseph w. Stilwell, the United States
commander of Chinese troops dur
ing the Burma campaign, who came
out of Burma on foot conceding
that he had taken a "hell Of beat
ing" but determined that 1t would
be reconquered.
Gen. Stilwell, who is now chief OF
staff of Allied forces in China. has
been training new units to partici-
pate in the reopening Of the land
route to China. American forces
mainly air and supply units-have
been participating in these prepara-
tions.
Last June the British Indian
forces were augmented by the arrival
of the largest military convoy to
leave Britain before the North
African occupation armada. The
United States Air Forces IN India
likewise have been reinforced with
constant streams Of flyers and sup
plies.
Meanwhile, the Raj has been pa
trolling and bombing Japanese OBJ
iectives almost daily, damaging
ports, airfields and military install
lations.
Recently along the Bengal Dor
der the Japanese have been making