The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-24
Showdown Battle on India,
Burma Frontier Near One
mUasi0n Line Near In1phaL
Jap Shipping
Still Being
Battered.
nv Interno,Ional 20. s.rglsel

tBy International News Serrice1
An early showdown battle was
anticipated today on the india.
Burma frontier, where one column
OF three pronged Japanese inva-
sion drive Is today within IS miles
OF the Manipur state capital Of
lmphal,
Military observers At Adm. Lord
Louis Mountbatten's headquarters
expressed confidence that Allied
Jungle forces were concentrating
along the approaches TO imphal,
vital communications center. pre-
pairing TO deal the enemy a power
full blow.
"The situation will be cleared up
In few days" these quarters
said. indicating that the Allies were
biding their time. intending. TO SO.
lect the hour and place most pro.
pitious for major effort 10 stem
the Japanese drive.
other Allied units under com.
mand OF American Lieut.-Gen. Jo-
seph W Stilwcll gained new
ground In their offensive against
the Japs farther south. 4. Strain
cd troops advanced along the up.
per Mogaung Valley despite heavy
enemy resistance.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur. tho
hero OF Batann", continued his
devastating blows against the ens-
my in tho Southwest Pacific tboa'
tire. relying heavily on American
airpower to batter Jap shipping
and ground installations around
New Guinea. His uirmen. destroy.
ing 30 transport vessels, increaeed
to IS their 4s hour total OF Nlp'
poDese surface craft sunk.
The Allied flierB ranged along
the New Guinea coast from Aitape
to Cape Moem, blasting enemy sup
ply and bivouac areas as well az
military and aerial installations.
Many fires and explosions wers
touched off, and towering flames
and smoke columns attested "a
heavy damage inflicted on the
enemy
No japanese opposition was en-.
countered by the New Guinea
raiders. or by the American forms'
tions which again pounded tho
once proud enemy -basnon Al Ia.
haul in northeastern New Britain.
The Jap Domoi agency asserted
that some 1870 allied planes car
ried out the Rabaul assault. the
souadrons included carrier based
fighters and bombers." the enemy
broadcast said.
In Europe, the shattering Allied
aerial offensive against the Nazis
rolled into its third successive day
OF uninterrupted bombing. Early
today hugo formations OF fighter
escorted bombers sped across the
English Channel with q deafenins
roar. A short time previously,
strong forces OF Royal Air Force
craft settled down at their hons
bases after pummeling unidenti.
fled targets In occupied portions oe
the continent.
Although the initial announce
ment that Allied planes were over
the Continent failed TO identify the
target areas. enemy transmitters
within the Reich announced hys-
terically that the formations were
approaching western Germany. The
night and day assaults were part
OF sequel to an about offensive
which yesterday saw American
planes hit six key points in the
Nazi defense plan.
Three important war Industry
plants. two vital airdromes and a
major railroad center within the
Reich Sere the U. s. alrmen's tar.
gets. The multi.pronged blow cost
the Americans q bombers and
six fighter escorts.
Both on the eastern and Italian
fronts, the German ground forces
were driven back by determined
Allied troops.
A new Red army offensive, Clip
ping through the Nazi defense line
between Tarnopol and Proskurov
sn old Poland, swept forward from
points within IS miles of Ruman'