The following is from the October 1999 issue.

By Dan Reynolds

Upon the outbreak of war between the Empire of Japan and the United States and British Empire in 1941, the Burma Road soon became the only land link to the Republic of China for supplies from the western Allies.

In early 1942 Chiang Kai Shek sent three of his best divisions into Burma from Yunnan to help the British keep the road open. They were placed under American command in the person of General Stilwell and his staff whom reported to Chiang.

The CBI ( China-Burma-India Theater ) was given the lowest priority for men and material by Roosevelt and Churchill. The British forces in Burma rapidly collapsed and fled northward to India. Stilwell and his people were swept along. The Chinese troops did well in the retrograde movement, but the road and their lifeline home was severed.

Supplies to China had to be flown over the "Hump" from India from now on. On the return trip they carried unarmed Chinese reinforcements. The Chinese troops were reorganized, armed and trained by American officers in India. They were given 5000 M1928 Thompson SMG to increase fire power. Their New Asia Mauser 7.92mm rifles were soon useless for want of ammunition and spares. They were issued M1917 Enfields, BARS, and Brownings. In the counter offensive in 1944 and 1945 they did very well.

Upon the capitulation of Japan many of these units were air lifted north to Manchuria in C-46's and C-47s to take control before the Chi-coms could consolidate their power after the Russians accepted the Japanese surrender and gave the Japanese weapons to the Reds. At this point the Reds were few in number in Manchuria and large numbers were moving in by foot from the west. The civil war flared and the Truman administration tried to mediate and get a coalition government. This was foolish and bound to fail. To put pressure on the Nationalists to go along, General Marshal cut off U.S. military aid, including all ammo, for a six month period. The Chinese were forced to withdraw all the .30 rifles and carbines and place them in storage, issuing out old Mausers, Arisakas and whatever to these key American trained units. The situation in Manchuria at this point was not going well for the Chi-Nats. They began converting the M1917 rifles at Mukden ( Shenyang ) to use 7.92mm Mauser during 1947 as they were also doing to various Arisakas. The barrels were removed, rebored, chamber end shortened and rebuilt. Most of the.30 caliber weapons were captured in storage shortly after this when the Reds defeated the Nats in Manchuria.

It is possible that some M1917 rifles were converted by the Reds at a later date, or by the Chi-Nats in south west China.