Evening star., 1942-02-25
Army Guns he||Mystery Aircraft
Sighted Over Los Angeles Area;
3OJap Planes Shot Down in Burma
British Reported
Given Respite on
Sittong Front
By the Associated Press.


American Volunteer Group flyers
and r. A. F. pilots struck one OF
their heaviest blows at japanese
air strength over Burma today
destroying 80 enemy planes and
carrying out effective sweeps
over enemy positions along the
Sittang River front.
An Army communique indicated
that the British imperial forces
pushed back to the west bank of the
Sittang River some 10 miles from
Rangoon. had been given a breath
ing spell after facing intensive
Japanese pressure and were making
the most of this opportunity to re-
organize their defenses.
The communique said:
"On the southern front there has
been no contact with the enemy
Our troops on the Sittang River are
reorganizing after heavy fighting.
"On the northern front there Is
nothing to report.
"On instructions from the COVER
nor of Burma, military commander
has been appointed in Rangoon to
prevent looting and arson. Curfew
has been ordered from tonight in
Rangoon."
Some observers in London predict
ed that If the Japanese crossed the
river in force Rangoon would fall in
less time than Singapore did The
Sittang River front is about so miles
from Rangoon.
One London commentator dis
counted reports that the Japanese
were employing 100000 men in the
attack on British lines. He said the
| best estimate was two divisions at.
tacking, with one in reserve, or q
total of As 900 men.
There was no confirmation in Lon
don of a japanese claim of Sunday
that they had taken Pegu, a juno
ton on the Rangoon-Lashio Rail-
road that has fed supplies to the
Burma road.
The commentator said, however,
his information was limited to the
situation of Monday night.
1t was said that if Japanese were
not able to bring pontoons up tc
cross the Sittang as they did Johore
Strait in the assault on Singapore
they could obtain small boats which
abound in villages along the river,
If the invaders once crossed the
Sittang, 1t would be almost i'm
possible to prevent them from cut
ting the railway and the main road
and thus securing grip on Burma S
chief overland communications ar
terry. While Rangoon holds out
traffic along the Irrawaddy River to
the west probably would not be dis
turbed. But it is at Rangoon that
the main japanese thrust prob
ably will be directed, leaving upper
Burma to be mopped up later.
Advantage in Air.
From Pegu to Rangoon the coun-
try is fiat, and at this time of year
vehicles can go almost anywhere
over the short stubble of the rice
paddles. Once past the main road
only light scrub and jungle would
present any kind of natural barrier
to the Japanese.
The British in Burma have one
advantage over the defenders OF
Singapore-the combined forces OF
the r. A. F. and the American Vol
unteer Group have inflicted heavy
losses on the japanese air force.
Rangoon, however, is not well
adapted to stand a siege. On the
land side there is no strong nat
ural defense line and the Japanese
would be able to spread across the
country from the Pegu River, which
is only Is to 20 yards wide, west to
the Hliang. another small stream
(See RTTRMA Dooo AEl