Evening star., 1942-03-26
Mixed Enemy Force
Is Reported 40
Miles From Prone
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW DELHI, India, March 26.
Mounting Japanese pressure
against United Nations lines in
Burma from south and east
including the use of parachutists
to foment native uprisings-was
indicated by the British COM
munique today.
From the south, a large mixed
force"-presumably including That's
or anti-British Burmese along with
the Japanese-was reported within
40 miles of Prone in the push up the
1rrawaddy Valley toward that town
and the rich oil fields of inner
Burma.
On the east, where a japanese
push over the Thailand border ap-
parently is aimed at Mandalay, Chi
nese forces were said to have beaten
back force of 300 japanese and
That's north of Mong Tung, inf1ictine
heavy casualties and capturing a
French officer.
(Reuters reported from Chung
king today that two strong
Chinese columns operating from
Burma have invaded Japanese
occupied Thailand at two points.
1t credited the report to a
Chinese military spokesman.
(The Associated Press cor
respondent in Chungking report
ed that the Army spokesman's
only reference to this area was
that minor engagements also
have occurred along the frontier
Of the Burmese Shan states and
Thailand'D
Chinese swell Dug In"
Although the invaders have BY
passed Toungoo. $50 miles inland
from Rangoon and about 200 miles
south of Mandalay, the war bulletin
said Chinese forces there ARE well
dug in and will hold on until re-
lieved."
"a military commentator said
in London the situation in the
Toungoo region was not neces-
sarily critical and that the Chi
nese might be able to send suffi-
cient reinforcements to dislodge
the japanese from their position
astride the road north of Toun-
goo
(The commentator said the
heavy japanese thrust apparently
was developing against British
forces blocking the Irrawaddy
route to Prone and the oil fields
and to the overland route on
west to India.
Japanese occupation of the
Andaman Islands in the Bay of
Bengal was believed to fore
shadow similar invasion and oc-
cupation of the Nicobar Islands
to the south, between Andaman
and Northwestern Sumatra.)
One force of Japanese and That's
was said to have been dealt heavy
casualties by the Chinese on the
Toungoo front. The communioue
said United Nations losses were re-
markably small, owing particularly
to the sturdy resistance of the
Chinese.
Enemy Force to Southeast.
Another enemy force, also appar-
emily OF considerable size, was re-
ported in the area to the southeast.
between Tharrawaddy and Minhla,
20 miles north.
No contact has yet been made
in the direction of the mountain
range separating the Irrawaddy and
Sittang Rivers, the communique
said.
1t reported that the enemy was
dropping isolated parachutists, pre-
sumably for the purpose of organiz-
ing Burmese fifth columnists.'
The war bulletin added that the
Flying Tigers" of the American
Volunteer Group and British air.
men disabled about 10 Japanese
planes and damaged many others
in a raid on the Chiengmai Airf1eld
in Thailand two days ago.
This was the surprise dawn swoop
Tuesday in which the A. v. G. al
ready had been reported to have
destroyed or damaged 40 to 50 enemy
planes.