FOURTEENTH ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25735, 5 January 1945, Page 3

FOURTEENTH ARMY

INCREASED RESISTANCE MET ONE-THIRD OF BURMA CLEARED (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONd6n, Jan. 4. The Fourteenth Army in Burma is meeting increased Japanese resistance at Ye-U as the enemy tries to delay the Allied advance towards Mandalay. Altogether 80,000 square miles of Burma have been cleared of the Japanese. This is nearly one-third of the entire Burmese territory, including the native States and unadministered districts. The Japanese in general are withdrawing, but not rapidly, and from time to time they make a vigorous stand. Since the Japanese were turned back out of Kweichow Province their threat to the Burma road has not again developed, but it might be later. Meanwhile Chinese operations under American command have not far to go to clear a way for a junction of the Burma road with the new road from Ledo, in North-eastern Assam, which American engineers are building. Chinese forces on the Salween front have captured Wanting, thereby eliminating the last Japanese stronghold obstructing a junction with Allied troops in Burma who are only 15 air miles distant. The Japanese suffered heavy casualties at Wanting.