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The '''Burma Road''' (1937-45) and the '''Ledo Road''' (1945) were the main overland supply routes to China [[CBI|in the CBI Theater during World War II]]. When Japan blockaded the China's coastline in 1937-45, an overland route was needed. The Chinese Army built the Burma Road connecting Kumin, China, to Rangoon, Burma. When Rangoon was captured by the Japanese in March 1942, the U.S. Army began the Ledo Road as a cutoff route from Ledo, India, to the Burma Road; it opened early in 1945.  

The '''Burma Road''' (1937–45) and the '''Ledo Road''' (1945) were the main overland supply routes to China [[CBI|in the CBI Theater during World War II]]. When Japan blockaded the China's coastline in 1937-45, an overland route was needed. The Chinese Army built the Burma Road connecting Kumin, China, to Rangoon, Burma. When Rangoon was captured by the Japanese in March 1942, the U.S. Army began the Ledo Road as a cutoff route from Ledo, India, to the Burma Road; it opened early in 1945.  

[[Image:Cbi-ledo-road2.jpg|thumb|400px|Burma Road (dark green), Ledo Road (light green) and Hump (dashed)]]

[[Image:Cbi-ledo-road2.jpg|thumb|400px|Burma Road (dark green), Ledo Road (light green) and Hump (dashed)]]

==Burma Road==

==Burma Road==

In 1937, as Japan attacked China and closed its ports, the need for a new supply route connection to India became urgent.  China began an crash project to build a road to bring in supplies from Burma.<ref>The Japanese forced France to end rail traffic from Indochina; and the Soviets as well to stop shipments. </ref> The goal was to link  Kunming, China, and Lashio, Burma, which connected by rail to Rangoon.   

In 1937, as Japan attacked China and closed its ports, the need for a new supply route connection to India became urgent.  China began an crash project to build a road to bring in supplies from Burma.<ref>The Japanese forced France to end rail traffic from Indochina; and the Soviets as well to stop shipments.</ref> The goal was to link  Kunming, China, and Lashio, Burma, which connected by rail to Rangoon.   

[[Image:Cbi-roadwork.jpg|thumb|250px]]  The two roads were major engineering achievements, but produced minor military results.

[[Image:Cbi-roadwork.jpg|thumb|250px]]  The two roads were major engineering achievements, but produced minor military results.

[[Image:Cbi-Ledo-road3.jpg|thumb|350px|Ledo road near Myitkyina, Burma]]

[[Image:Cbi-Ledo-road3.jpg|thumb|350px|Ledo road near Myitkyina, Burma]]

The Ledo Road project started in October 1942, but it made little progress during 1943. Stilwell's Northern Combat Area Command offensive between October 1943 and August 1944 cleared the Japanese from northern Burma and enabled construction to go forward. The capture of Myitkyina, Burma, in August 1944, meant completion was possible.  The Ledo Road opened in late January, 1945. The combined highways were officially named the '''Stilwell Road,''' although Stilwell himself had been relieved of command in October, 1944.<ref> See [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060746386/ref=sib_dp_bod_ex?ie=UTF8&p=S00L#reader-link Webster (2004) p 335]</ref>  

The Ledo Road project started in October 1942, but it made little progress during 1943. Stilwell's Northern Combat Area Command offensive between October 1943 and August 1944 cleared the Japanese from northern Burma and enabled construction to go forward. The capture of Myitkyina, Burma, in August 1944, meant completion was possible.  The Ledo Road opened in late January, 1945. The combined highways were officially named the '''Stilwell Road,''' although Stilwell himself had been relieved of command in October, 1944.<ref>See [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060746386/ref=sib_dp_bod_ex?ie=UTF8&p=S00L#reader-link Webster (2004) p 335]</ref>  

The Ledo road was engineered by 17,000 Americans, half of them in all-black units, under Gen. Lewis A. Pick; the fatalities totaled 1,133 men, 625 of whom died in combat. Over 35,000 Chinese soldiers worked in the project as well.  "Pick's Pike" cost $150 million. Sixty-four truck companies--far short of the 375 planned to operate convoys--delivered 150,000 tons of heavy artillery, 25,000 trucks, and miles of gasoline pipeline to parallel the road to Kunming.

The Ledo road was engineered by 17,000 Americans, half of them in all-black units, under Gen. Lewis A. Pick; the fatalities totaled 1,133 men, 625 of whom died in combat. Over 35,000 Chinese soldiers worked in the project as well.  "Pick's Pike" cost $150 million. Sixty-four truck companies—far short of the 375 planned to operate convoys—delivered 150,000 tons of heavy artillery, 25,000 trucks, and miles of gasoline pipeline to parallel the road to Kunming.

==Combat==

==Combat==

There were many minor battles along the way; none of great size.  In the siege of Nhpum Ga, a thirteen-day ordeal in June 1944, some 800 Japanese marines attacked with mortars the 1100 Americans of the Second Battalion of "Merrill's Marauders."  Surrounded atop an exposed hill, short of water and almost everything except courage and disease, the Marauders shot up the Japanese at all ranges under appalling conditions marked by the overwhelming stench of dead mules and humans decomposing in the jungle heat.<ref> In the midst of their ordeal the Raiders received and consumed an airdrop of fried chicken. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B0009309A4/ref=sib_dp_pt# Webster (2003) pp 192-95 online]</ref>

There were many minor battles along the way; none of great size.  In the siege of Nhpum Ga, a thirteen-day ordeal in June 1944, some 800 Japanese marines attacked with mortars the 1100 Americans of the Second Battalion of "Merrill's Marauders."  Surrounded atop an exposed hill, short of water and almost everything except courage and disease, the Marauders shot up the Japanese at all ranges under appalling conditions marked by the overwhelming stench of dead mules and humans decomposing in the jungle heat.<ref>In the midst of their ordeal the Raiders received and consumed an airdrop of fried chicken. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B0009309A4/ref=sib_dp_pt# Webster (2003) pp 192-95 online]</ref>

==Controversy==

==Controversy==