The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-01
laps Threat for British,
Chinese In Burma F Fight
CONTINUED from Page u

and, advancing up the Sittang di-
rectly toward it from the THAI
sector, rs miles to the south, force
the Allied troops to retire toward
the rugged mountains behind them.
A Chinese spokesman said Gen.
eralissimo Chang Kai-shek on his
recent visit to Burma, had desig-
mated new supply lines for the Chin
csc forces in Burma, and that these
sl,Doly lines did not run through
LaShio.
The insignificant amount of war
material sent recently from India
to Burma had largely been used
for the Chinese troops on the front,
the spokesman said.
Thousands of Chinese laborers
have long been working to make at
least two major northern supply
routes, of which one is to be COM
pleted this month, the other within
six months.
Central Railway
At fashion the Japanese were
astride the railroad and highway
leading south to Mandalay. They
had established their columns well
north of the Burma wet area Of
jungle and swamp where fighting
would have been almost impossible
during the imminent wet season.
It was believed that he Japan
csc, efficient as they have proved,
would have some difficulty MAIN
tanning their communications to
the south during the heavy rains.
and many of their air fields would
beunuseable.
They would be able to operate
freely, however, in the dry areas
which they had reached but the
Chinese persisted In the belief that
the Japanese were now getting their
feet entaneled in over-eXtended
communications.
The Allies, 1t was said, had beer
unable to get sufficient strength
to the front to hold the japanese
short of Lashio and had lacked field
equipment and planes.
Chinese official quarters said AL.
lied staff work had been excellent
and that there was perfect cooper.
atom between the Chinese and Bri.
fish care forces.
Milan GunFkhas Fight
New Delhi, India, May l.-(UP)
"A British brigade of Indian Gurk.
has with tanks smashed into JAP
anese forces on the Mandalay front
In Burma and inflicted up to 500
casualties In a most successful &C.
ton against the enemy, a Burma
communique said today.
The Gllrkhas lost only ten men.
The force was in action north OF
the town of Kyaukse on the Manda-
lay front, the communicate said, re-
porting that tbs tss..llied forces had
successfully destroyed the Kyaukse
bridge to stem thu advance OF tes
japanese, Kyaukse Is a small Town
4f miles due south OF MaASalay on
a tributary of the IFraWaddy river
Strong Japanese mobile columns
were reported moving into the
Lashjo sector, WhAge the Chimes had
been driven from the town OF La
shio but were stiI lighting nearby
to protect Allied forces retiring
from Central Burma,
on the western sector of the
Burma front, the British reported
they were withdrawing successfully
north OF the TgraWaddy river alle
had dealt with" Q japanese fOFcf
taat Faided the town of M0nyWa,"
THE situation IN the eastern gee'
tor (lncludlpg L49s3l9l rs e0nfuseG
but highly m0biliged japanese col.
unang are reported nearing Lashls
from the south, 1.-THE japanese tool
LashI0 on "Wednesday, chungkini
annOunced.l
'sFbe British Withdrawal from tn
north bank OF the EFFaWaddy pro,
eeeds successfully, A small Jap
enese party Faided MOHyWR but \
being successfully dealt with"
British Retreat
London, May J,-lURg~Hyep@n'i
capture Of LAs1l0 on the Burns
front has e0EppellAd the British en-,
nlf0 main forces % effect On elaeT,
genev withdrawal 70 q tine only a
miles below Mandaiey ~ US clos
est point, 3 British military con-
naentaaOr announced today,
on the central or elttang rive
front empire troops withdrew from
the TflazlsS feiktile sectoEd, 10 mile
s0sIth Og Mandaiay. 10 the Kyaul
sector. ~ miles south, the CON
ment@t0F said,
on ne western or TFraWad6y Fig'
er front they Withdrew from ~
MISUNDERSTANDING sector, no nlla
southwest q Nandaleg, 70 ~