BURMA ROAD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 230, 28 September 1943, Page 4

BURMA ROAD

PORTION BUILT

0 ther Route Between io And Chungking

;r.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 2.30 NEW DELHI, Sept. 27. The new Burma Road, details of which have hitherto been secret, has reached Japanese-occupied territory in North. Burma. Chinese troops, 1 trained and led by Americans, are beating back the Japanese as the polyglot swarm of road constructors bites deeper into the jungle. A correspondent of the Associated American Press says the first portion of the road is built, but that much more must be constructed before it links up with the old Burma Road. It is hoped to speed up construction during the coming dry weather so that the road is at least usable for the transport of supplies in the event of the occupation of part or all of Bur.ma. The road runs from Assam into North Burma and will eventually link up with the old Burma Road between Lashio and Chungking. The route along the southern slopes of the Himalayas covers some of the world's wildest mountains and thickest jungles. It is officially named Ledo Road. Construction began on December 15, 19.41, under the direction of American Army engineers, aided by mass bulldozers, trucks and other mechanical equipment brought 16,000 miles by road, rail and sea. American negro troops, taking a key part, assisted the many Indo-Chinese and Burmese. A British United Press correspondent says the engineers consider this battle against the jungle and torrential rain—up to 300 inches annually in places — the mud, landslides, leeches and malaria, the toughest they are ever likely to encounter. Berlin radio, quoting Japanese reports from Shanghai, said Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten's plans for a general attack against Burma are almost complete. The war in East Asia is about to enter a new phase. A strong battle-trained Japanese Army is ready to meet the offensive moves.