Evening star., 1944-04-05
Germans Last Overland RAILWAY
From Odessa Is Cut byRussians;
Japs Hold 15-MiIe India Road wav
Enemy Pressure
Increases ALONG
Assam Front
MAP on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
NEW DELHI, April 5.-The
Japanese invaders of India were
reported reliably today to be
holding a 15-mile stretch of the
road midway between Imphal,
on the Manipur Plain, and Ko-
hima, 60 miles to the north.
There they must establish pre-
monsoon line of communication
within six weeks or lose their
long gamble for the Benga1-As-
sam railway, an Allied lifeline.
A Southeast Asia communique an
nounced Japanese pressure has in
creased along the whole Assam
front. 1t told of a successful rear
guard action by British and Indian
troops withdrawing from the south
up the road from Tiddim toward
the edge of the main defenses of
the Imphal plain.
Some of these Allied troops have
been depending on supplies and am
munition dropped from the air as
they fight their way north through
japanese parties which have cut the
road.
The communique said japanese
forces which had reached the
Imphal-Kohima highway have not
yet been dislodged.
New American Penetrations.
Meanwhile dispatch by William
Bon, Associated Press correspond
ent with 1t. Gen. Joseph w. Still
wells Americans and Chinese in the
Mogaung Valley of North Burma
disclosed the deepest penetration yet
behind japanese lines by units of
Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill's all-Amer-
ican Maurauders. They recently
struck at the japanese at Inkangh-
taWng, only is miles airline above
Kamaing. Kamaing, in turn, is
about 20 miles northwest of Mo-
gaung, important point on the, rail-
road from Mandalay to Myitkyina,
main Japanese base in North Burma.
News of this hit-and-run harass-
ing operation was revealed after the
American troops, completing their
mission, Withdrew to the mountains
east Of the Mogaung Valley, where
they are helping to block Japanese
effort to outf1ank Gen. Stilwell's
main positions by a northward push
through the mountains, chiefly along
the Tanai Valley.
These swift-moving Marauders, in
briefly establishing road block at
Inkanghtawng while other Ameri-
cans were blocking the Japanese
farther north at Laban, killed at
least 800 of the enemy at small
casualties to themselves.
Installations Attacked.
The Southeast Asia communique
said Allied planes, sweeping over the
whole Burma area, hit oil and power
installations in Southern Burma and
shot up enemy columns in the India
border area.
On the Arakan front along the
Bay of Bengal Allied troops ad-
vancing toward the Japanese-held
port of Akyab occupied Alathang-
daw, south of Maundaw, the COM
muniQue said.
1t appeared that the Japanese,
avoiding hazardous contest on the
plain of Manipur, may stick to hill
and jungle in a bold attempt to
reach the Bengal-Assam line serving
the hump route to China and Gen.
|StillWells division in Northern
Burma.
There was increasing evidence
that the Japanese may aim their
main blow northWestward toward
the vital line and an Allied head
Quarters spokesman, commenting on
the regrouping of enemy forces now
evidently in progress, said that a
sticky situation may develop.
Risky for japanese.
A delayed dispatch from Associ-
ated Press Correspondent Frank L.
Martin at British Army headquar-
ters on the India Burma border
noted, however, that while the Jap
anese movement north of Imphal
was considered the most dangerous
it also was most risky for the Japa-
nese because of supply problems.
The most northerly of the Japa-
nese penetration forces are virtually
cut off from their nearest roadhead,
200 miles behind. Mr.. Martin said,
and in matter of weeks may have
to depend on captured food to sur
vive. They have been using mules
and natives to carry fighting mate
rials over precarious trails, some of
which are almost vertical.
Moreover, the japanese have suf-
fered heavily in their three weeks
campaign on the eastern border of
India, with more than 5000 killed
out of more than 5000 total casual
ties, Mr. Martin added.
cen