Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-01-06
Strategic Burmu

StIOte9IC DuIWo
After vital Singapore, Burma ranks
next in the strategic picture OF the
vast battle-ground in Southeastern
Asia. Although relatively little in
the news, its Importance hardly can
be overestimated. Burma is best
known to US as the gateway to the
famous road which is Free China's
sole feasible line of communication
with the outer world. But Burma
means much more than this. It is
the eastern bulwark of Britain's In
dian empire, and is in itself of con-
siderable significance with its wealth
of natural resources, including oil,
and its population Of $4,000, 900 in an
area nearly as large as Texas.
Japan's seizure of French 1ndo-
China and subsequent occupation Of
Thailand brings Burma into direct
contact with the threat of Nipponese
aggression. Indo- China touches
Burma for about 100 miles along the
upper course OF the great Mekong
River. Thence begins the Thai
Burmese frontier, which runs irregu-
larly southwark for fully 800 miles.
This might seem to offer many
opportunities for invasion, but a
glance at q relief map shows that
the practicable sectors are limited.
The upper Mekong rushes swiftly
through narrow valleys, and pre-
cipitous gorges, while the country
on both sides is undeveloped noun
famous jungle inhabited by wild
tribes. This effectively prevents
large-scale military operations be-
tween Burma and Indo- China.
Much the same is true of thesadja-
cent northern half of the Thai
Burmese frontier. This border is
clearly traced by nature along the
crests of heavily wooded tropical
mountain ranges, likewise unde-
veloped and virtually roadless. Here
again military movements would be
extremely difficult for large troop
masses and would be even more i'm
practicable for mechanical equip
ment.
The real field for major military
moves is where Burma narrows to q
long tongue Of territory that reaches
down into~the narrow Malay Pen
insula, which it bisects with Thai
land. This narrow projection, known
as British Tenasserim, extends to
within 800 miles of British Malaga.
If Britain could pour enough troops
into TenasSerim, the japanese line
Of communication down the Thai
side Of the peninsula might be cut
and the Nipponese invaders of Ma
laya isolated. At present, however,
the Japanese have the initiative
through their possession of the Thai
railroad down the peninsula, which
enables them to concentrate quickly
against Tenasserim at many points.
Presumably, therefore, the British
are holding Tenasserim lightly, their
chief frontier concentration being
at Moulmein, where Tenasserim
broadens into the bulk of Burma
and where the broad Salween River
forms a natural barrier against a
japanese push toward the great
port of Rangoon, 100 miles behind.
When japanese planes tried to bomb
Moulmein a few days ago. they ran
into hornets nest Of British and
American fighters and suffered Sc
we're losses. Indeed, the Royal Air
Force is now carrying the war into
Thailand, bombing Japanese air
bases there.
There are indications that heavy
British reinforcements are pouring
into Burma, not only to protect it
from invasion but also to launch a
possible counteroffensive into Thai
land, which would menace the Japa-
nese operations against Singapore.
Such an offensive presumably would
be synchronized with a Chinese in
vasion from Yunnan into Northern
1ndo-China. Such an invasion could
follow several river valleys, since the
frontier cuts across the mountain
ranges instead OF following their
crests. Large masses of Chinese
regulars are stationed in Yunnan,
and common plan of campaign has
been worked out under the system
of unified command among all the
Allies in the Far East. The Chinese
again have shown their mettle by
their smashing victory over the
Japanese at Changsha. A new battle
front for Nippon thus may soon be
opened, putting crimp into their
Singapore campaign.