The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-18
Chinese Not Interested

Alleged differences between General Stilwell
and Lord Mountbatten as to the Burma cam
paign are said to have stirred little interest in
China. The Central Chinese News Agency's
report Of their opposing viewpoints was not
even printed in most leading Chinese news
papers.
Chungking observers have understood for
some time that these commanders hold Up
posite opinions on the desirability of frontal
attack on the Japanese in Burma which are
shared by United States and British strategists
and experts in both countries. But the Chinese
are not known to be particularly concerned.
The Chinese view, as reflected in an article
by Guenther Stein, Christian Science Monitor
special correspondent in Chungking, is this:
China is chiefly interested in the reopening
of the main Burma China highway. This would
involve an about campaign against japanese
strongholds in Burma, including naval, air
and landing operations against Rangoon, the
southern terminus of the old Burma road,
with secondary land support from Allied po-
sitions in India and China. Mr.. Stein adds:
'This view seems still to be held in Chung
king. But the time element also plays an i'm
portant role. The Chinese always have main
tanned that they can least afford an undue
prolongation of the war They have therefore
always insisted that the best possible use
should be made by the Allies Of any waiting
period that may be inevitable until the main
Allied offensive in the southeast Asia theater
can be launched.
1T is primarily in this respect that develop
ments during the present dry season may
have been somewhat disappointing to the Chi
nese. They recognize that the joint American
Chinese push from Ledo in the Indian Prov
ince of Assam into northern Burma, toward
the Chinese border, has been well executed.
''They are confident this operation will prove
of considerable immediate value for an i'm
provement of Sine Indian air connections and
that it will guarantee the quick completion of
the Ledo-China highway next fall or winter if
the Japanese-held railroad terminus at My
itkina in northern Burma can be taken before
the monsoon rains begin next May.
1.-THE Chinese also appreciate the value Of
incessant and intense Anglo-Chinese air opera
tons over practically all of Burma. And they
were relieved to see that the initial difficulties
of British and Indian troops in the Arakan
peninsula of western Burma have been at last
overcome, at considerable cost to the japanese
defenders.
However, some Chinese had hoped that
more might be achieved in the present dry
season. In so far, they sympathize with the
views that are ascribed to General StilweI."
For the most part, we may believe, the
home folk in both the United States and Eng
land have been distressed that so little prog
ress has been made against the Japanese in
southeastern Asia, and not wholly without
cause But it would be unfair to jump to the
conclusion that time has been wilfully wasted
without first learning all phases of the military
problem that would have to be solved by
major Allied campaign. Secretly we may side
with Stilwell, who is an up-and-doing man, but
maybe there are complications in supply and
equipment which must be overcome before
that can be undertaken.