December 1942 saw the beginning of one of the most herculean tasks accomplished by the U.S. Army during the Second World War—the building of the Stilwell Road. In the spring of 1942, the main supply road into China, known as the Burma Road, was cut off. Attempts to supply China from then on were limited to “The Hump,” a dangerous air route across the eastern Himalayas. In order to reopen the land route to China, General Joseph Stilwell, the commander of the China-Burma-India Theater, called for the construction of a new road that connected the railhead at Ledo in Assam, India to the old Burma Road at the Mong-Yu junction near Wanting, Yunnan in China.
More than 15,000 American soldiers and 35,000 local workers labored to construct a road that passed through extremely difficult terrain. The road traversed high mountains and deep gorges. Steep gradients, hairpin curves and sheer drops were commonplace. As the road was built in conjunction with the Allied offensive to retake Burma, builders occasionally came under fire from enemy forces. By the time the road was completed, $150 million had been spent and 1,100 American lives were lost.
On January 12, 1945, the first convoy of 113 vehicles departed from Ledo. It arrived in Kunming on February 4, 1945. In the months that followed, 26,000 trucks carried 129,000 tons of supplies from India to China.
Curvy Kunming-Kweiyang Road, 1945. Photo by Barney Rosset. Source: Barney Rosset Papers in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University in the City of New York. https://exhibitions.cul.columbia.edu/exhibits/show/rosset
Passing through the West Gate at Kunming, China, Brig. General Lewis A. Pick returns the salute from the Allied Nations as the first overland convoy from India to China completes its historic mission. A new national holiday is proclaimed in China--the 4th of February. Source: National Archives and Records Administration; http://www.fold3.com/image/1/52542885/
Stilwell Road convoy entering Kunming, China. Source: National Archives and Records Administration; http://www.fold3.com/image/1/52542666/
View of newly constructed bridge with modern structure and what’s left of old bridge made from logs. The old bridge was constructed by Chinese engineers with very primitive equipment and due to the heavy rainfalls and weight it was carrying gave-way during the early part of the monsoon. Mile 52 along the Ledo Road June 1944. Source: National Archives and Records Administration
U.S. Stuart tanks manned by Chinese troops on the Ledo road. Source: Imperial War Museums
This Jeep, seating Brig. General Lewis A. Pick, Ledo Road engineer in front, made history as the first vehicle to cross the Burma-China border at official reopening of the Burma Road at Wanting, China. 28 January 1945. To achieve opening, 14th Air Force fighters and bombers coordinated with Chinese ground forces in tough Salween campaign to blast the Japanese out of the Burma Road. Source: National Archives and Records Administration http://www.fold3.com/image/1/52542506/
At the entrance to the city of Kunming, the Governor of Yunnan Province presents Brig. General Lewis A. Pick with a banner for "Meritorious Achievement" in leading the first convoy over the Burma Road into Kunming. The inscription on the banner reads "The Road to Victory." Source: National Archives and Records Administration
On the morning of 4 February 1945, the convoy, which crossed the Ledo Road, rolled into Kunming, China and it was already known that the day it arrived would be declared a national holiday in China. Here Brig. General Lewis A. Pick and his convoy personnel stand before the platform at the entrance to the town. Source: National Archives and Records Administration http://www.fold3.com/image/1/52542798/
July 8, 1944 The site of Huitong Bridge While visiting the construction site of the Nujiang Bridge project, assistant chief engineer Dr. Li, General Wei Lihuang, chief commander of the China Expeditionary Force and Captain Harry Cain from California walked past a footbridge. Photo by George L.Kocourek from the U.S.Army Signal Corps issued by the bureau of public relations, the US Department of Defense in Washington
A D-8 Caterpillar pulling a small D-4 out of mud at mile 52 along the Ledo Road during maintenance work. Source: National Archives and Records Administration
At noon on 28 January 1945, the convoy, journeying up the Ledo Road, reached Me-Se near the China-Burma border. The "Y" Force, fighting up the Salween River from China, and the American-Trained Chinese Expeditionary Force, pushing from Burma had joined at this spot so they lined up side by side and put on an impressive ceremony for the convoy. Theatre Commander, Lt. General Dan L. Sultan; 10 AAF Commanding General, Major General Howard C. Davidson and Marshal Li-hung of the CEF were among those present. Source: National Archives and Records Administration; http://www.fold3.com/image/1/52542711/
January 3, 1945 A Chinese tank driver talking with his American counterpart in Burma During the intervals of combat in Bhamo, Burma, a Chinese tank driver talked with his American counterpart. Bhamo was located on the Old Burma Road zigzagging to China. After 28 days of siege of this area of heavy Japanese forces, the joint forces took Bhamo on December 15, 1944.
