Chinese Suspicions Lulled by Latest Successes

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 64, 18 March 1944, Page 5

Chinese Suspicions Lulled by Latest Successes

(By Telegraph—-Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Friday, 9.50 p.m. LONDON, March 17. It can now be disclosed that British and West Atrican troops landed on tue Japanese coastal flan** in Arakan, 15 miles below Razabu, says Reuter’s correspondent in a delayed dispatch from Burma dated March 13. They are to-day holding six villages, all of whicn were cap cured within 12 hours. The Japanese garrisons were eitner killed or driven into the Mayu hills. The landing forces are now well dug in and strongly fortified. Chinese circles which view Lord Louis Montbatten’s Araican campaign as an unimportant sideshow have evinced interest in Mountoatten’s recent conference with General Stilwell, says the Chungking correspondent of the United Press of America. The unofficial attitude in Chungking has been that China was unwilling to participate in the recovery of Burma unless Mountbatten convinces the Chinese that the British are interested in a broader plan than the reconstruction of their colonial empire. This attitude may be softened by Mountbatten’s talks with Stilwell and the appearance of British troops behind the Japanese lines in the Upper Chindwin Valley. The alleged lack of agreement between Stilwell and Mountbatten regarding the Burma strategy has also oe*n a sore spot in Chinese official quarters. However, the new developments may overcome Chinese reluctance to use the full power of their ground forces in support of Mountbatten’s Burma campaign.