IMPROVED POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 121, 18 November 1943, Page 5

IMPROVED POSITION

LONDON, November IV. From now on there is likely to be a marked increase in contacts between Delhi and Chungking, says the correspondent of "The Times" at general headquarters in India. One of the first achievements of the new Southeast Asia Command has been the strengthening of operational links with China which are now undoubtedlycloser than at any time since the outbreak of the war. Lord Mountbatten's visit to President Chiang Kai-shek made a deep impression not only on President Chiang's entourage, but also on Americans. Almost overnight a certain suspicion regarding Britain's attitude to the war in the Far East has been more or less dispelled. Lord Mountbatten has established excellent relations with the American genc-rals with, whom he lives. The appointment which General Stilwell will hold has not yet been announced, but it is common knowledge that he will be very near Lord Mountbatten. General de Wiart, who has been in Delhi for consultations, will go to Chungking, where it is expected that his personality will appeal to the Chinese. General de Wiart is likely to divide his time between the two headquarters. Probably a Chinese mission will be attached to Lord Mountbatten's headquarters, and thus there is a most encouraging prospect of full co-opera-tion between the two commands in planning the future offensive. Ideas regarding the significance of the Burma Road are beginning to change. Most political thought maintains that this link with the outside world must be restored and also the majority possibly sees the Burma Road, in spite of the comparatively small tonnage it ha_s carried, as a channel whereby a stream of arms and consumer goods might flow to China. But there is a small group of thinkers who apparently sees, the problem in terms of amphibious operations. This school says: "Let us get back to the plains. Give us a port into which ships can come, with a river behind." j The correspondent adds that one school of thought seems to look at the war against Japan in terms of equipping vast armies in China and more or less marching to Tokio. Another sees it as a series of amphibious operations along the coasts, culminating in great naval actions to crush Japanese sea power. Probably the answer lies lin a combination of the two, but the | difficulties of both methods are enormous until overwhelming strength can Ibe brought into action.