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| Juri Bora Borgohain |
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| Tapan Kr.Dutta |
Name - Stilwell Road;The Memories of a Forgotten War
Language - Assamese
Station - All India Radio,Guwahati
Producer - Tapan Dutta,Programme Execcutive ( currently posted at AIR Haflong)
Narration - Aboni chaudhury, Kritanjali Barman, Nisa Baruah
Prod.Assist,- Bhaskarjyoti Deka
Script - Juri Bora Borgohain
(रेडियो डॉक्यूमेंटरी)
स्टिलवेल रोड- द मेमरी ऑफ ए फॉरगेटन वार
सारांश
यह वृत्तचित्र मानव के असाधारण साहस, दृढ़ संकल्प और उपलब्धि की एक विस्मृत कहानी का स्मरण कराता है और जिसका संबंध सेना के भारी वाहनों के आवागमन के लिए उच्च वहन क्षमता सम्मत 1098 मील लंबी सड़क निर्माण से है और, वह भी, जोखिम भरे एक विशाल भू-भाग में, अत्यंत असमान सतह वाली भूमि और पहाड़ियों पर। सबसे बड़ी बात यह थी कि इस विशाल सड़क का निर्माण एक घमासान युद्ध के दौरान किया जा रहा था.. यानि एक प्रमुख युद्ध के साथ-साथ अन्य एक युद्ध !
सन् 1941 ... जापानी सेना द्वारा पर्ल हार्बर पर अचानक हमले के कारण द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध ने एक हिंसक मोड़ ले लिया। दक्षिण-पूर्व एशिया में जापानी सेना की आक्रामकता अति शक्तिशाली होता गया और ब्रिटिश सरकार, अमेरिका और चीनी सेना के सहयोगी सेनाओं को उसने तहस-नहस कर डाला। बर्मा रोड ', जो सहयोगी सेना के लिए चीन की ओर जाने का एकमात्र संपर्क मार्ग था, जापानी सेना ने उसे अपने नियंत्रण में ले लिया।
जेम्स वॉरेन स्टिलवेल, एक अमेरिकी सेना अधिकारी और सहयोगी सेना के कमांडर ने समय की नजाकत को देखते हुए यह निर्णय लिया कि वैकल्पिक मार्ग का निर्माण किया जाना अत्यंत आवश्यक है। यह सड़क लीडो से शुरू हो कर चीन के युन्नुन प्रांत की राजधानी कुनमिंग तक जोड़ी जाएगी। केवल तभी सहयोगी सेना के लिए जापानियों को रोकना और हराना संभव हो पाएगा। और, इस तरह, ऐतिहासिक स्टिलवेल रोड निर्माण की शुरुवात हुई थी।
इस योजना की शुरुवात फरवरी, 1942 में हुई। अमेरिका से भारी संख्या में मशीनें लाई गई । जनरल स्टील्वेल ने एक अमेरिकी कमान का गठन किया जो सीबीआई (चीन-बर्मा-भारत) के नाम से जाना जाता था। सीबीआई के तहत गहन प्रशिक्षण केंद्र शुरू किए गए। धरती के सबसे कठिन कुछ इलाकों से गुजर कर सड़क निर्माण करना एक महत्वपूर्ण कार्य था। यह कार्य और भी मुश्किल था क्योंकि सड़क को दुश्मन के कब्जे वाले इलाके से गुजरना था। उनकी सफलता ही सड़क निर्माण करने वाले लोगों के धैर्य और दृढ़ संकल्प का प्रमाण है। अंत में, 11 फरवरी, 1945 को, मित्र देशों के काफिले ने कुनमिंग में प्रवेश कर चीन पर तीन साल की लंबी जापानी नाकाबंदी का अंत किया। बाद में जनरल जोसेफ डब्ल्यू. स्टील्वेल के सम्मान में सड़क का नामकरण किया गया और यह वास्तव में जनरल और उनके लोगों के प्रति एक श्रद्धांजलि थी जिन्होंने अपना रक्त और पसीना बहा कर इस महत्वपूर्ण कार्य को पूरा किया था।
Stilwell Road : The Memories of a Forgotten War s y n o p s i s
THE STILWELL ROAD : MEMORIES OF A FORGOTTEN WAR... unfurls a rare story of extraordinary human courage, determination and achievement. This documentary deals with the construction of a 1089-mile motorable road possessing high sustainability for movement of heavy Army vehicles and, that too, in a vast area full of violent terrains, extremely uneven land surface and atop the hills. To add to these, this huge road had to be constructed during a period of heavy war. Its the story of another war within the main war.
1941. The World War II took a violent turn due to the sudden attack on Perl Harbour by the Japanese Army. The Japanese Army's aggression became very powerful in South-East Asia and it literally devastated the Allied Forces comprising British India, the US and the Chinese Army. 'Burma Road', which was the only link for the Allied Force to move towards China, had gone under the control of Japanese Army.
James Warren Stilwell, the representative of the US President Roosvelt, an American army officer and the Commander of the Allied Force, decided that an alternative route was the need of the hour. Beginning at Ledo (Assam) the road would connect Kunming, the capital of Yunnun Province of China. Then only it would be possible for the Allied Force to stop and defeat the Japanese.
General Stilwell consulted pages of history. On finding that there was an ancient road, he immediately had series of frequent discussions with the local people. The fact revealed before General Stilwell that this was the road the founder of the Ahom Kingdom Swargadeu Suka-fa undertook and, having crossed Hukang Valley by this road, he had entered Assam and established the 600-year-old Ahom Kingdom. The smuglling of opium from the North-East India to China was still in practice by this road. So was the export of typical Assamese silk dresses called Paat Kaapor. Some portions of the road were damaged. This road was also used while developing diplomatic ties between Shan rulers of Burma and the Ahom rulers from the time of Ahom King Sudang-fa. Some parts of the road were through thick forest and some other parts were atop high hills. General Stilwell took strong decision to clear that ancient road by carrying out required repairing of the damaged portions. Thus there would be a passage to China. And, in this way, the construction of the historic Stilwell Road had began.
The planning started in February, 1942, and actual work commenced in December that year. A huge quantity of machineries were brought in from the US.
General Stilwell formed a huge construction team comprising CBI (China-Burma-India), — the entire team was a huge polycoloured army that was never seen before anywhere in the world.
Building a road through some of the most difficult terrains on the earth was a monumental task. The task was made even more difficult as the road had to pass through enemy occupied territory. That they succeeded is a testimony of the grit and determination of those who constructed the road. Finally, on February 11, 1945, Allied Forces convoy driving down the road entered Kunming ending three-year-long Japanese blockade of China. The road later was named in honour of General Joseph W. Stilwell and it was indeed a befitting tribute to the General and his men who accomplished this monumental task by the blood and sweat.
The entire documentary is being made with research-based narrations, complimentary sound effects and suitable music scores. Moreover, there are a few interviews of the local people who were witness to this historic event.
Its now a common plea of the people of India to re-open the Stilwell Road which will ensure beginning of new economic avenue for India with South-East Asia. This will also change the entire socio-economic scenario of the South-East Asia.
Contributed by :- Shri. Tapan Kr.Dutta,PEX All India Radio,Haflong
tapan.guwahati@gmail.com
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