Evening star., 1944-05-17
.Sti|weN Troops
Closing Trap on
.Japs kamaing
Chinese Advancing
From SoIween River
Menace Myitkyino
CHINESE FORCES WIDEN gap in
Japanese-held railway. Page AL
BY the Associates Press.

SAA1A>Gh9G rO1tSCto WIAIGN gap III
Japanese-held railway. Page Az
BY the Associated Press.
SOUTHEAST ASIA HEAD
QUARTERS, Handy Ceylon, May
lit. Gen. Joseph w. Stilwelfs
North Burma forces pushed the
two jaws Of the trap they are
closing about Kamaing to within
8 and Is miles of that japanese
Mogaung Valley base today,
front-line dispatches disclosed.
At the same time, Chinese forces
driving from the Salween River to-
ward Burma from the east threat
ened to catch Myitkyina, the
enemy's most important North
Burma base, in an east-west squeeze
The Salween River offensive has
carried to within $50 miles OF Gen
Stilwell's forces whose capture OF
Kamaing would flank Myitkyina
which lies 40 miles to the east
Another OF Gen. Stilwelis forces
pushing down due north of Myitky-
ina has pushed to within about 40
miles OF the base.
Tank-supported Chinese columns
cutting through the jungle west OF
the Mogaung River had established
a roadblock on the valleys sole truck
road just south OF Malakawng
which is Is miles northwest of Ka-
maing, and trapped an undetermined
number of japanese who had chung
tenaciously to the village. Four
Japanese counterattacks against the
block cost them 40 men killed.
No Reference to Kaladan Front.
On me east side OF the river, the
other main column advanced mile
southwest from Tarongyang, widen
ing the Speafhead first extended
from Manpin to within . miles
northeast of Kamaing.
Today's headquarters communi-
que made no reference to the Kala-
dan River front of Western Burma
where new japanese thrust close
to the Indian border was disclosed
in yesterdays announcement.
The official announcement of Gen
Stilwell's success in cutting the
main highway to Kamaing said "the
japanese fought stubbornly and
when forced back left numerous cas-
ualties and much equipment"
Meanwhile Allied bombers and
fighters struck the enemy's North
Burma troops and gun positions
north and west of Myitkyina in a
gathering blow aimed at full ex-
termination of the Japanese 18th
Division.
Landslide Blocks Jap Road.
East of the Mogaung Valley for
ward units of the Chinese 38th Divi-
sion fought through artillery fire
and closed from the southeast on
Warong in the Kumon Hills. Other
advances were reported in the
Manpin area and west of the Mo-
gaung Valley. Allied troops driving
due south toward Myitkyina con-
tinued to assault the intrencheo
enemy at Tiangzup, the communique
said.
In sweeps over the Northeast
India battle areas American and
Raj medium bombers started a
landslide by blasting hillside
above the Tiddim road, blocking
the highway and cutting off the
invaders from their source of sup
plies from the south.
The communique said that 300
enemy dead were counted and three
guns captured near Potsangbam
village outpost of Bishenpur on the
Tiddim road southwest of Imphal.
The Allied communique reported
there had been no major activity
around Kohima, Indian frontier
post, IS miles north of Imphal, but
said that newly won positions have
been consolidated under cover OF
patrol operations and now are firm
ly held.
mo counterattack has yet devel-
oped," the bulletin said.