rile Burma Campaign It is not easy to form a
clear picture of the war in Burma owing 0 the movements of the Japanese from several directions and the [merging lines of retreat of the British and the Chinese. The British tire for some time lost all contact with their Chinese allies, and I've been retreating north-west up the Chindwin valley to the high mountain passes which separate Burma from India. Hard pressed, ?stout air support, and in greatly inferior numbers, the British xce may be considered to have done well in keeping itself intact lid extricating itself from a position in which the enemy hoped )armihilate it. In Delhi confidence that the force will reach India IfelY prevails. The main line of the Chinese retreat appeared ) be north-east via the Burma Road. The Japanese army which lucked from the east and turned northward up the famous road was
severely handled, though it is probable that it was only an advance guard that was compelled to retreat. But there is still a large concentration of Chinese far to the south, east of Mandalay, still undefeated and indeed aggressive, though it can have no sound communications or means of reinforcement. It remains to be seen whether it is capable of fighting its way north and linking up with the Chinese who have been engaged near the border. If not, its position is perilous in the extreme. The Japanese advance, north-west and north-east, has been disputed obstinately both by the British and the Chinese, but the enemy are now in possession of the greater part of Burma, and threatening India to the west and China to the north. But at least valuable time has been gained for setting the defences of India in order and enabling the Chinese to concentrate against the threat to their rear.
