Show r Behind the War News j By Captain John H H. H Craig I U. U S. S Marine Corps Retired d Probably the surge of Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese divisions toward Rangoon is giving the harassed staff of General Sir Archibald Wavell's united nations command of the southwest Pacific more headaches headaches headaches head head- aches than all the other threats of that distracted area com com- The Nipponese earn campaign p a i against Dutch Java was long expected and discounted Even the bombing of Australia's Port Darwin was anticipated But it was believed that the nature of Burmas Burma's southeastern jungles and swamps which constitute one of the worlds world's most difficult bits of military topography would bar anything resembling a drive in force by the mikado's troops from Thailand toward strategic Rangoon Nowhere on the earths earth's surface surface surface sur sur- face is to be found a more Uninviting uninviting uninviting un un- inviting stretch of terrain for modern scale large-scale war than the mile mile span of jungles morasses and mountains that separates Bangkok in Japanese- Japanese occupied Thailand from the mouth of Burmas Burma's river From July to October its streams are raging muddy torrents torrents torrents tor tor- tor- tor rents and its coastal plains are mostly under water Fr From m January January January Jan Jan- uary to May rain falls hardly at all Rivers shrink to a trickle Pools become infected It is almost impossible to fi d water fit to drink The dry under brush flames up on the slightest provocation into fires that travel for miles with the wind Giant leeches and poisonous water beetle haunt the pools rendering drinking hazardous bathing impossible Worse than these are malaria and dysentery which are always present Worst of all perhaps is anthrax frequently frequently frequently fre fre- fre- fre epidemic in this area which brings racked pain-racked death within a few hours in a high percentage of cases Seven hundred years ago this Thailand-Burmese Thailand strip of territory territory territory terri terri- tory acquired evil repute as a graveyard of armies when the Mongol cavalry of Kublai Khan world conqueror and Chinese I emperor lost more than 50 per percent percent cent of its strength in a cam cam- campaign campaign campaign I against Burma that closely closely closely close close- ly paralleled the route the Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese are following Even in the less lethal climate of the valley of the health conditions were so bad badin badin badin in 1885 British General Sir Harry Prendergast was obliged to employ total forces of more than troops to keep about a third of that number fit for service in the field Before the outbreak of the present war in the far east it was generally believed that should hostilities come the Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese would stand on the defensive defensive defensive sive in the more healthful mountains mountains mountains moun moun- inside the Thailand border But apparently the mikado's strategists had other ideas According to dispatches five or perhaps six Japanese divisions have been identified on the Burmese Burmese Burmese Bur Bur- mese front This would add up to about men Unquestionably Unquestionably Unquestionably these are paying a terrific price in disease as well as wounds as they struggle through sun-baked sun swamps and marshes but they are going for for- ward Already dispatches tell of the blocking of the port of Rangoon by submarine mines This means that no more American or British British British Brit Brit- ish war supplies can enter by y that gate for Chiang shek's Kai-shek's Chinese armies One of the most serious misfortunes misfortunes misfortunes mis mis- fortunes that could befall the nations would be a permanent break in the communications communications- line connecting Britain and r America with free China This is one of the grace threats of of Japans Japan's drive into Burma Equally grave in its implications implications implications would be the complete conquest conquest conquest con- con cont v t quest of the Burma position bythe bye byN the mikado's forces Burma in Japanese hands would be a dagger pointed at the heart of India India and and India is the brightest jewel in Britain's crown of em em- pire Statements and opinions herein herein herein here here- in are private to the writer and andare andare andare are not to be construed as reflecting reflecting reflecting re re- re- re the views of the navy department |