-47-#669, Eighteenth from London              
 
                                                            
 
 
Chinese on its northern flank has carried them in an attack 
      against the Japanese Army in Burma at some points almost 200 
      miles forward from Imphal Kohima and Myitkyina. Now is the time 
      when all the fierce fighting at these places last year is reaping 
      it reward. The stuffing was beaten out of the Japanese troops 
      in these terrible conflicts in which we had very heavy losses--40,000 
      British Indians and others at least--and in which a far larger 
      toll was taken by disease. I had always dreaded the new campaign 
      in Burma this year on account of the heavy toll of disease which 
      the march through the jungle exacts not only from the British 
      but also from the Indians and the West and East African troops 
      who have been fighting there with great distinction. I dreaded 
      it for that reason and also because of the unimaginable difficulties 
      of supply through all these hundred of miles of gorges from India 
      where every bridge and culvert is swept away by torrential rains 
      where rivers rise 20 to 30 feet in a few hours and over which 
      all means of communication are so primitive and scanty. I had 
      always