GENERAL SITUATION IMPROVED

Evening Star, Issue 25170, 9 May 1944, Page 5

GENERAL SITUATION IMPROVED

STEADY PROGRESS ON OTHER FRONTS (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, May 8. A general improvement in the past week in the situation in Burma is regarded in London as indicated by a recent communique. v General Stihvell's troops, aided by United States medium tanks, are making steady progress down the Hukawng Valley, and are now nine miles from Kamaing ami 20 miles from the Mogaung-Myitkyina railway. Parallel with General Stilwell's forces, Gurkha and Kachin troops are advancing down the Mali, or Fort Mertz, Valley towards Myitkyma. Information available concerning General Lentaigne's airborne troops in the Katha area suggests that they are successfully drawing off Japanese troops from the main operations. In the Imphal. area, though the latest communique mentions vigorous counter-attacks by the enemy, which have been repulsed with " disproportionately heavy losses," our troops have now advanced 28 of the 70 miles from Imphal to Kohima. There appears no co-ordinated attack in this area. In fact, the Japanese 15th Division appears to have been so heavily mauled in its advance from the south and west of Imphal that it has been turned into a withdrawal up the Ukhrul road back to its bases to recover. Japanese advances in the Bishenpur area have also died down, and the successful defence of Kohimavin has greatly reduced Japanese strength and checked the Japanese movement south towards Imphal. Japanese pressure on the important motor road from Pale' to the Chiudwin has also lessened and their supplies are now in jeopardy. Considerable co-ordination seems to have been effected between our air and ground forces, as shown by recent operations.