World Battlefronts: Back Door to China

In the gorge of the Wu-ti Ho the Japanese began to move. The rains had ended in Burma and Yünnan Province; the steamy, pestilential countryside was drying out. The Japs appeared to be launching their long-expected attack, creeping toward China's back door.

The Wu-ti Ho (the bottomless river) is the Salween, which curls for 200 miles through the mountains of Yünnan. Along its west bank the Japanese had nurtured themselves, gathering their strength. Near Tengyueh they struck. Three columns, altogether some 6,000 veteran troops, swung north and east with the apparent intention of outflanking Chinese troops scattered along the Burma Road...

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