Made late during WWII, LIFELINE TO CHINA traces the journey of American war materiel — in this case a barrel of petroleum from Texas — to the front in China. The journey takes place across the Atlantic ocean aboard ship, all the way to Burma where it is transported by porters onto trains, and then through various methods to get to Kunming. The airport at Bhamo is shown, along with the HQ of the Tenth Air Force operating into China. B-29 bombers are shown operating in the China-Burma-India Theater at the 3:41 mark, with high octane gas powering their engines. Flying “the Hump” is seen at 5:50, with both C-47 and C-54 transport planes. A B-24 is seen at 6:50, being used as an aerial tank car. At Kunming, seen at 7:00, transport further into China is organized. Pipelines and pipeline construction are seen being built at the 7:40 mark along the Stilwell Road.
At 9:43, an incredible sequence is seen where U.S. troops are using Jeeps as railroad locomotives. These improvised locomotives allowed transport where there were no roads and supplies were desperately needed.
At 11:00, some of the general staff of Chiang Kai-Shek’s forces are seen with American General Sulton, the India-China-Burma Commander, as well as General Davidson of the 10th Airborne, and General Chung.
At 11:30, American light planes are seen evacuating wounded from the front to the General Hospital at Ledo.
General Daniel Isom Sultan, (December 9, 1885 – January 14, 1947) was an American General during World War II. He fought in the China-Burma-India theater at the last half of the war.
The film also shows Calcutta and Eastern India at the 14:00 mark, with the oil pipelines being built through mud and other rough conditions. Welders are seen at work, and vast fuel dumps created for the war effort. At 16:07 a cargo plane buzzes a newly-build runway.
He was born in Oxford, Mississippi and later attended the University of Mississippi, before transferring to West Point. While at the university, he was initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity.[1] He graduated from West Point in 1907 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers.
Prior to World War I, he served in the Philippine Islands and was in charge of the construction of fortifications on Corregidor. In 1918 he was assigned to the War Department General Staff in France. From 1934 to 1938, he presided as a Commissioner of the District of Columbia.
On July 8, 1939 he was promoted to Brigadier General. He commanded the 38th Infantry Division at the beginning of World War II and the VIII Corps. In 1943 he was assigned to the China Burma India Theater (CBI) as Deputy Commander under General Joseph Stilwell and on September 2, 1944 promoted to Lieutenant General. He became the Commander of the Burma-India Theater under the command of South East Asia Command (SEAC) of the South-East Asian Theatre on October 24, 1944. The CBI had been split in two with General Albert Wedemeyer becoming the Chief of Staff to Chiang Kai-shek and commander in China. On July 14, 1945 Sultan became Inspector General of the Army. In 1947 he died while still on active duty.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
