Evening star., 1942-04-28
Columns
Near Maymyo;
Rains Start
Native Opposition
To British Rising;
Fires Spreading
BULLETIN.

dio broadcast q ~Tokio re-
port" tonight saying the
japanese had taken Lashio,
Burmese terminal OF the
burma road to China. There
was no confirmation from
other sources. The report said
the town was taken after
fierce fighting by one Of three
columns which advanced over
the Shan Mountains.
early Story on Pags A-1)
Ds the Associated Press.
WITH CHINESE FORCES IN
BURMA, April 28.--The civil gov
ernment Of Burma has evacuated
Maymyo, 40 miles northeast OF
Mandalay on the railway to
Lashio, because of the approach
of japanese columns.
The evacuation Of the Burmese
provisional capital conceded with
series Of fires and a rising tide Of
native opposition to the British.
Burning Buddhist temples and rice
warehouses dotted the plains. (The
dispatch did not make clear whether
these were set In accordance with
the 'scorched earth" policy or re-
suited from native disorders)
Rains, believed to be the first Of
the monsoon, are begging down dirt
roads and causing the rivers north
west of Mandalay to rise.
Thin Lines Shortened.
On the curving front defending
Mandalay, the Chinese and British
armies shortened their thin lines of
tired infantry and shell-scarred
tanks in an effort to check the
Japanese spearlieads thi1lsting
through the Shan states toward
Hsipaw and Lashio On the famed
road to China.
Three groups OF Chinese txosposan
the Shan States have been cut on
from the main forces farther west.
but they radioed that they had
wiped out Japanese battalion at
Taungyyi, were continuing flerce
guerrilla warfare around Loilkaw
and we're slashing at Japanese COM
munications south OF Hsipaw.
A Chinese corlmunique issued 10.
night at Chunkking said Chinese
forces which captured Taunggyi
last week were making heavy at
tacks against the Japanese rear and
were making some progress.
sJaps Sweep Beyond Taunggyi.
Although the Chinese still hold
ground in the Taunggyi region the
Japanese advance has swept beyond
that town to the north and east.
The communique also reported
that Japanese columns which had
advanced In the country between
Mandalay and the Salween River
were being heavily engaged by the
Chinese, who, although greatly OUT
numbered, were infiicting heavy
losses on the enemy.
japanese planes swarmed over
Mandalay and other towns on the
main Allied communication routes,
bombing and machine cunning.
A japanese river fleet was threat-
ening the ports on the lower Chind-
win River. big tributary of the
Irrawaddy up which steamers ply
almost to the borders of China and
India.
Two Attacks at Meiktila.
British tanks attached to the
Chinese command attacked the
Japanese twice at Meiktila Satur-
day, and on Sunday counterat-
tackled south of windwin, which Is
about go miles southwest OF
Mandaiay.
Seven Japanese tanks were de-
stroyed by Chinese artillery, but
the Japanese still were menacing
Myingyan, on the Irrawaddy OPP
posite the mouth Of the Chindyin,
55 miles southwest of Manadalay.
The American commander of the
Chinese forces, 1t. Gen. Joseph w.
Stilwell, spent SO hours continu.
ously at the front without sleep
and under constant Japanese gum
fire.