THE ROAD TO MANDALAY
China, Burma, India, and Indian Ocean
Release Date: April 19, 1953 ... (Episode #24)
Japan first invades China in 1937. They force millions of Chinese civilians to evacuate to the interior of China. Chungking becomes the new Chinese capital city. After Japan attacks America at Pearl Harbor, they also storm into Siam and Burma. The fall of Mandalay in May 1942 isolates China from the west. The Allied leaders meet in Quebec to formulate a plan to help keep China in the war. The Royal Navies of both Britain and Australia sail to the Indian Ocean to help stop the Japanese from any more expansion west of Burma. The Royal Indian Navy also helps to keep the sea-lanes open around India and to run anti-submarine operations. This is all necessary to assure that the supplies for battle are delivered to for the Allied fight for liberation. On the other hand, Axis submarines continue their fight to sink Allied ships as they deliver their precious cargos to the port city of Calcutta. Cargo planes help bring small supplies to the isolated Chinese, but most will have to be driven by convoy trucks after a new road is cut through the jungles of Burma. A true multi-national army begins the final campaign to liberate Burma and save China in late 1943. The combat troops fight their way through the jungle as the engineers follow behind, building a new road and pipeline to carry oil and gas. The Japanese conquerors fight valiantly, but are ultimately defeated by the Allied armies that track through the Burmese jungles and liberate Mandalay. The road from Mandalay to Ledo is finally completed. The British 14th Army finally returns and with 2,000 miles of pipeline complete, thousands of gallons of oil and gas is pumped into China. With the new road completed too, the first convoy heads into China in Jan. 1945. Chungking is finally reached three weeks later.
