Stillwell Road

The ‘Story of the Ledo Lifeline.’

The Ledo Road (renamed the Stilwell Road in 1945) was a critical WWII supply route through Burma, China, and India used to supply the Allies after the Burma Road was cut (occupied) by the Japanese. The approximately 1,000-mile road was built over 2.5 years (as the front progressed) by mostly African-American troops and Chinese laborers. Rugged terrain, tropical diseases, and Japanese attackers were just a few of the many hazards faced in the often-overlooked theater.

This small booklet was issued in 1945, after project completion and supply lines were secured, to commemorate and celebrate the tremendous efforts. Text, cartoons, and photographs make a valiant attempt to accurately describe the harsh conditions, but the truth was likely unfit for publication. Troops riding elephants, mud-caked bulldozers, and surveying in swamps are just a few of the scenes captured within the covers. A summary of the route is accompanied by a simple linear diagram, while a centerfold map presents the route in context to the rest of the India-Burma Theater.

The volume was written by S/Sgt. C.M. Buchanan and Sgt. John R. McDowell, with illustrations by Cpl. Sidney Cotler and photos by the 164th Signal Photo Company. Printed in Calcutta by Indian Press, Ltd. in 1945. Published and distributed by the Office of Public Relations of the United States Forces in the India-Burma Theater.

Sources: CBI Theater; Portrait of War;