United States Army in World War II
China-Burma-India Theater

Stillwell's Command Problems

by
Charles F. Romanus
and
Riley Sunderland


. . . to Those Who Served


UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II
Kent Roberts Greenfield, General Editor

Advisory Committee
(As of 1 June 1954)
 
James P. Baxter
President, Williams College
Maj. Gen. Elwyn D. Post
Army Field Forces
Gordon A. Craig
Princeton University
Brig. Gen. Verdi B. Barnes
Army War College
Elmer Ellis
University of Missouri
Brig. Gen. C. E. Beauchamp
Command and General Staff College
William T. Hutchinson
University of Chicago
Brig. Gen. Leonard J. Greeley
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
Charles H. Taylor
Harvard University
Col. Thomas D. Stamps
United States Military Academy

 

Office of the Chief of Military History
Maj. Gen. Albert C. Smith, Chief*

Chief Historian Kent Roberts Greenfield
Chief, War Histories Division Col. G. G. O'Connor
Chief, Editorial and Publication Division Lt. Col. T. E. Bennett
Chief, Editorial Branch Joseph R. Friedman
Chief, Cartographic Branch Wsevolod Aglaimoff
Chief, Photographic Branch Maj. Arthur T. Lawry

*Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward was succeeded by General Smith on 1 February 1953.


CONTENTS

Foreword vii
The Authors viii
Preface ix
Chapter     Page
PART ONE
Plans and Preparations for the North Burma Campaign:
October-December 1943
I. The Last Preparations 3
  Combined Chiefs Order a North Burma Campaign 9
  Improving the Lines of Communications 11
  The B-29 Project Approved 15
  Chennault's Operations 18
  Chennault's Proposals for 1944 22
  Building an East China Army 26
  The Allied Command Structure in North Burma 28
  The Chinese Forces 32
  The American Force 34
  The Kachin Rangers 36
  The Battleground 37
  Planning the North Burma Campaign 39
  The Campaign Begins 45
  Summary 48
II. SEXTANT: The Watershed 49
  Drafting SEAC's Proposals 49
  The United States Prepares for the SEXTANT Conference 52
  The Chinese Prepare for SEXTANT 56
  Presenting CHAMPION at Cairo 59
  Trying To Reach Agreement 63
  Over the Watershed: The Changed Attitude Toward China 67
  Stilwell's Search for Guidance 71
  SEAC Tries To Salvage Burma Operations 75
  A Changing U.S. Attitude 79
  Summary 82
III. The India-Based Air Effort 83
  Command and Administration of the Air Forces 83
  The Japanese Air Effort in Burma 85
  Support of Ground Forces 88
  Strategic Bombing 91
  Air Supply 95
  Allocation of Transport Aircraft 98
  Administrative Problems 100
  Techniques 102
  Problems of Air Supply 106
  The B-29 Command Problem 109
  Logistical Problems of the B-29's 114
  Summary 116
PART TWO
The North Burma Campaign:
December 1943-August 1944
IV. Breaking the Stalemate in North Burma 119
  The Chiangs Visit Their Troops 122
  Yupbang Ga 124
  The Opponents Shape Their Plans 129
  Enveloping the Japanese Left Flank 131
  The Capture of Taihpa Ga 134
  Clearing the Taro Plain 136
  The Allies Reorganize for the Next Effort 138
  Logistical Support 139
  Planning To Force a Decision 142
  U.S. Infantry for the Second Phase 146
  The Operation Begins 148
  GALAHAD's Fight at Walawbum 151
  The "Big Squeeze Play" 155
  Summary 159
V. The Burma Campaign in the Balance 160
  The SEXTANT Decisions Challenged 160
  The Japanese Create More Command Problems 165
  Mountbatten and Stilwell Meet 169
  The Chiefs of Staff Reject CULVERIN 171
  The Japanese Attack Forces Hump Diversions 172
  Inkangahtawng: An Attempt That Failed 175
  The Japanese Delay the 1st Battalion, 5307th 183
  Delay at Jambu Bum 185
  The Siege of Nhpum Ga 188
  Air Supply Problem at Imphal 191
  The Chindits Go Back to Burma 196
  The Question of Myitkyina 200
  Summary 203
VI. The Drive for Myitkyina 204
  The QUARTERBACK Calls an END RUN 204
  The 22d Division and the Drive on Kamaing 207
  The 38th Division: The Generalissimo and Stilwell 211
  Turning Tanaka's Flank 213
  The 112th Regiment's Stand at the Seton Block 215
  Defeat of the 18th Division 218
  Stilwell and the Chindits 220
  The March to Myitkyina 223
  MERCHANT OF VENICE! 226
  The First Attempts To Take the Town 229
  Japanese Build-up at Myitkyina 230
  Command Problems at Myitkyina 238
  The Attacks of Mid-June 1944 244
  Changes in Command 248
  Hacking Out Small Gains 250
  The Last Days 252
  Summary 256
VII. Logistics and Administration 257
  The Headquarters Reorganized 257
  SOS Problems 259
  Negotiations 260
  Clearing the Port of Calcutta 263
  Railway Problems 265
  Military Railway Service Begins Its Work 266
  Changes in Operating Procedure 267
  Operations Under Military Railway Service 269
  Physical Improvements on the Railway 271
  A British Appraisal 272
  Attempts To Use Indian River Transport 273
  Pipelines in India 274
  Supply Problems in India 276
  New Agreements on Local Procurement 277
  Housekeeping Problems 280
  Chinese Lend-Lease 281
  Medical Problems in the Rear Area 284
  Logistical Problems in China 288
  Summary 293
PART THREE
Command Problems in China Theater
VIII. Decisions to Attack 297
  "Money Is the Root of All Our Trouble" 297
  American Military Observers in North China 302
  SEAC and Stilwell Obtain Pressure on Chiang 304
  The Generalissimo Warns of Trouble 306
  The President Demands Action 309
  The Chinese Decide To Cross the Salween 312
  Chennault Renews His Warnings 314
  Operation ICHIGO 316
  East China's Defenders on the Eve of ICHIGO 320
  Initial Reactions to ICHIGO 322
  The East China Army Written Off 326
  Summary 327
IX. The Chinese Take the Offensive 329
  Battleground Above the Clouds: The Salween Front 331
  The Chinese Plan for the Salween Campaign 333
  The American Contribution 336
  Beginning the Offensive 340
  Pushing Through Ma-mien Pass 343
  Clearing Ta-tang-tzu Pass, 11 May-12 June 1944 345
  Securing the Huei-jen Bridge Area, 11 May-14 June 1944 349
  Driving the Japanese Rear Guards From the Shweli Valley 349
  The Southern Flank, 11 May-30 June 1944 352
  71st Army and the Fight for Lung-ling, 28 May-15 July 1944 354
  Summary 360
X. Facing the Command Problem 361
  Stilwell's Mission Laid Aside 362
  Stilwell Called to China 364
  Chennault Given 10,000 Tons 367
  The Japanese Drive Rolls on in East China 371
  Vice-President Wallace Suggests Stilwell's Recall 374
  Stilwell Nominated for Command 379
  The Generalissimo Agrees "in Principle" 384
  The Ledo Road Project Reduced 387
  Slow Progress Across the Salween 389
  The Battle for Sung Shan 394
  Summary 398
XI. The China Crisis of 1944 399
  The Defense of Heng-yang 399
  Japanese Successes and Chinese Politics 401
  The East China Crisis Grows 405
  The Hurley-Nelson Mission 413
  Washington Plans To End Stilwell's Lend-Lease Powers 418
  The Talks Begin 422
  American Proposals, 12-13 September 1944 426
  Stilwell and the Question of the Communists' Role 430
  Crisis in the East, Crisis in the West 433
  "I Do Not Seek the Job" 436
  The President Replies 439
  Summary 442
XII. The End of CBI Theater 443
  The Note Delivered 443
  The Generalissimo's Wrath 447
  Deadlock 451
  End of the Deadlock 456
  The Generalissimo Places the Blame 460
  Waiting for the Decision 464
  The President Ends CBI Theater 468
  Conclusion 471
 
Bibliographical Note 473
Glossary 481
CODE NAMES 485
Basic Military Map Symbols 487
Index 491
 
CHARTS
1. Stilwell in the CBI Chain of Command: December 1943-June 1944 6
2. Organization of U.S. Forces, China, Burma and India: November 1943-April 1944 7
3. Chih Hui Pu 30
4. Japanese Organization and Dispositions: November 1943 43
5. Tonnage Shipped From India to China by Air: 1944 112
6. Schematic Order of Battle of the Chinese Expeditionary Force 333
7. Tonnage Forwarded by USAF SOS CBI Advance Section to North Burma; January 1944-May 1945 390
8. Organization of the China Expeditionary Army: 15 September 1944 406
 
TABLES
1. Tonnages Shipped to Burma Over Burma-Siam Railway: November 1943- August 1945 94
2. Average Daily Traffic at Terminals of Principal Branch Lines of Japanese- Operated Railways in Burma: January 1943-August 1945 96
3. Tonnage Delivered to Northern Combat Area Command by Air: April 1943-March 1945 105
4. Strength of U.S. Army Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater: January- September 1944 258
5. Fourteenth Air Force Aircraft Inventory by Type of Aircraft: March 1943-December 1944 370
 
MAPS
1. India-China Communications System, October 1943-October 1944 11
2. The Battleground 37
3. ALBACORE Plan, 8 August 1943 40
4. Entering the Hukawng Valley, October 1943 44
5. Disposition of Forces, 1 December 1943 120
6. Operations in Northern Hukawng Valley, January 1944 132
7. Advance to Walawbum, 23 February-4 March 1944 144
8. Fight at Walawbum, 4-8 March 1944 151
9. Japanese Attack on Arakan Front, 4-7 February 1944 166
10. Japanese Offensive on Imphal Front, March-April 1944 173
11. Inkangahtawng, 12-23 March 1944 179
12. Shaduzup and Nhpum Ga, 24-29 March 1944 184
13. Mogaung Valley, 1 April-27 May 1944 207
14. Mogaung Valley, 28 May-26 June 1944 217
15. Advance to Myitkyina, 28 April-17 May 1944 224
16. Myitkyina, 18 May-End of July 1944 231
17. Situation in China, 15 March 1944 307
18. ICHIGO Plan 317
19. The Salween Campaign, 11 May-30 June 1944 330
 
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Kweilin Infantry Training Center 27
A Squad of Kachin Rangers 37
Cairo Conference 60
Chiang Kai-shek at Ramgarh 67
Bombing of Bridges 93
Kickers Prepare to Drop Supplies 98
Packing Supplies for Airdrop[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 103
Parachute-Covered Foxhole 109
Attack on Yupbang Ga 126
Japanese Fifteenth Army Commander and Staff 129
General Stilwell and General Sun 135
Drainage Culverts 140
Pipeline Crossing a Stream 141
General Stilwell and General Merrill 149
A Chinese Cook 157
Troops of Merrill's Marauders 177
Damaged M3A3 Tanks 186
Troops of the Chinese 22d Division 209
A British Antiaircraft Unit 227
Japanese Defensive Positions 232
Allied Casualties at Myitkyina Airfield[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 234
Japanese Trenches 236
Artillery in Action at Myitkyina[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 246
General Stilwell and Colonel Hunter 249
The King George Dock Area 263
Railroad Operations in India[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 268
Supplies in Open Storage in India[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 282
Bridges Across the Yellow River 324
Gen. Wei Li-huang 334
An American Liaison Officer 337
American Engineers on the Burma Road[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 339
Chinese Troops Cross the Salween[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 342
Footbridge Across the Salween 344
Air-Supply Drops 347
Chinese 2d Army Artillerymen 353
The Sung Shan Mountain Area[ 1 ] [ 2 ] 358
Evacuation of Kweilin 373
Vice-President Wallace 375
Chinese Infantrymen Rest on Lai-feng Shan 392
The Walled City of Teng-chung 393
Chinese Troops on Kung Lung-po Peak 396
Field Marshal Shunroku Hata 407
Gen. Yasuji Okamura 407
Chungking Conference 422
General Stilwell Entertains at Luncheon 425

The illustrations are from Department of Defense files, except those on pages 129 and 407, which are Japanese photographs.



Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Jerry Holden for the HyperWar Foundation