Without the Burma Road supply line, therefore, the Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem can’t acquire sufficient water, fuel, medical supplies and food, leading to severe rationing. Jerusalem’s Jews also have limited supplies of ammunition and weapons to defend themselves.
Under the direction of Gen. Mickey Marcus, an American Army veteran, the Israel Defense Forces built the winding mountain road along an animal trail to slip past Transjordan’s Arab Legion and other Arab forces besieging Jerusalem since the U.N. approval of the partition plan for Palestine in November.
Since Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14 and the withdrawal of British troops the next day, the Arabs have strangled access to Jerusalem’s Jews and used the fortress at Latrun to repel Israeli relief efforts. The Bab el Wad road into Jerusalem is blocked for much of the war, making the delivery of supplies to the Jewish population nearly impossible.
Airdrops by small planes are unable to carry enough supplies, and other methods are largely unsuccessful. Without the Burma Road supply line, therefore, the Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem can’t acquire sufficient water, fuel, medical supplies and food, leading to severe rationing. Jerusalem’s Jews also have limited supplies of ammunition and weapons to defend themselves.