CHINESE IN BURMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1942, Page 3

CHINESE IN BURMA

MENACED FROM THREE SIDES NEWSPAPER CRITICISES BRITISH RETREATS, i IMPORTANCE OF DEFENDING OILFIELDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) CHUNGKING, April 14. A Chinese Army spokesman said today that the Japanese were attempting to surround the Chinese positions at Yedashe (in Burma) from three directions. He had no information as to whether they had been successful. The spokesman urged that every sacrifice of men and arms must be made to prevent the Japanese reaching the Burma oilfields before the rainy season begins in May. He said the importance of the increasing power of Allied attacks from Australia could hardly be over-emphasised as one of the encouraging signs in the SouthWest Pacific.

The newspaper “Takung Pao” complained that the continual withdrawal of the British on the Irrawaddy front ;-.vas exposing the Chinese forces. “Only hard fighting can help to turn the tide in the Pacific,” the paper added. “Even if the British have to withdraw for strategic reasons, we hope our Allies will make the enemy pay a heavy price, instead of allowing easy advances. We cannot tolerate retreats and retreats alone.”