SHORTER ROUTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21604, 5 January 1945, Page 4

SHORTER ROUTE

ACCESS TO CHINA NEW HIGHWAY STARTED SYDNEY, Jan. I. Instead of waiting for the recapture of Central Burma, to reopen a land route to China, American and Chinese engineers have begun to build a new road which will link the recentlybuilt Ledo road, from India, with the Burma road from China, reports H. Mishael,’ Sydney Morning Herald staff correspondent in Chungking.

The new road- will run across a Himalayan spur from Myitkyina (Burma), which was captured by General Stilwell’s Chinese, British and American forces in August last year, to Tenchung (China), which was taken by Chinese forces, attacking across the Salween River, in September.

Major-General A. C. Wedemeyer, who was appointed Commander-in-Chief of United States Forces in China, after the recall of General Stilvvell, revealed this in an interview in Chungking. A road from Myitkyina to Tengchung would provide the last link in a chain of highways joining India and China, thus helping to break the J aoanese • blockade.

Major-General Wedemeyer said that he had flown over the route of the new road, which would shorten by 125 miles the proposed IndiaChina highway. He was no engineer, but the project seemed to him well worth while,, and good progress was being made in difficult terrain. Japan had strong offensive capabilities, General Wedemeyer added, but she realised that the Allies did also. She was, therefore, in a quandary how to dispose her forces. There had been no large increase in Japanese forces in the China theatre —certain adjustments and strengthening only. He expected “a very favourable position” by summer,