The Stilwell Road (film)
Encyclopedia
The Stilwell Road was a propaganda
film produced by the American Office of War Information and the British and Indian film units in 1945 detailing the creation of the Ledo Road
, also known as the Stilwell Road after the U.S. General Joseph Stilwell
. The movie was narrated by Ronald Reagan
.
The film opens with a message telling the audience that the film is about more than the building of a road in the jungle; it is also the story of Scots, Irish, English, Americans, Africans, Indians, and Chinese working together to win the war, and that they are now ready to work together to win a peaceful post war world as well.
The hour-length film concentrates mostly on the importance of the Burma Campaign
and the Burma Road
in supplying Chinese nationalist army
and American forces (the tactical Fourteenth Air Force and strategic XX Bomber Command
of "Operation Matterhorn
") in the Republic of China with supplies to resist Japanese domination, in much the same way Persian Corridor
needed to be kept open to keep the USSR supplied by the Western Allies
. But the forces there have to confront harsh terrain and monsoons, and are driven out in early 1942. Still, working in Assam
and British India, the Allies work to keep supplies flowing to General Stilwell and Chiang Kai-Shek
by making the Ledo Road
which replaced the severed Burma Road.
Also covered are Japan's abortive invasion of India in 1943 and the gradual retaking of Burma
.
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
film produced by the American Office of War Information and the British and Indian film units in 1945 detailing the creation of the Ledo Road
Ledo Road
The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek...
, also known as the Stilwell Road after the U.S. General Joseph Stilwell
Joseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
. The movie was narrated by Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
.
The film opens with a message telling the audience that the film is about more than the building of a road in the jungle; it is also the story of Scots, Irish, English, Americans, Africans, Indians, and Chinese working together to win the war, and that they are now ready to work together to win a peaceful post war world as well.
The hour-length film concentrates mostly on the importance of the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
and the Burma Road
Burma Road
The Burma Road is a road linking Burma with the southwest of China. Its terminals are Kunming, Yunnan, and Lashio, Burma. When it was built, Burma was a British colony.The road is long and runs through rough mountain country...
in supplying Chinese nationalist army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
and American forces (the tactical Fourteenth Air Force and strategic XX Bomber Command
XX Bomber Command
The XX Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on July 16, 1945.- History:...
of "Operation Matterhorn
Operation Matterhorn
Operation Matterhorn was a military operations plan of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II for the strategic bombing of Japanese forces by B-29 Superfortresses based in India and China. Targets included Japan itself, and Japanese bases in China and South East Asia...
") in the Republic of China with supplies to resist Japanese domination, in much the same way Persian Corridor
Persian Corridor
The Persian Corridor is the name for a supply route through Iran into Soviet Azerbaijan by which British aid and American Lend-Lease supplies were transferred to the Soviet Union during World War II.-Background:...
needed to be kept open to keep the USSR supplied by the Western Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
. But the forces there have to confront harsh terrain and monsoons, and are driven out in early 1942. Still, working in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and British India, the Allies work to keep supplies flowing to General Stilwell and Chiang Kai-Shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
by making the Ledo Road
Ledo Road
The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek...
which replaced the severed Burma Road.
Also covered are Japan's abortive invasion of India in 1943 and the gradual retaking of Burma
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
.
See also
- List of Allied propaganda films of World War II
- The HumpThe HumpThe Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
- China Burma India Theater of World War IIChina Burma India Theater of World War IIChina Burma India Theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II...
- South-East Asian Theater of World War II
- Ronald Reagan films