In the Spring of 1942, the military forces of Imperial Japan succeeded in severing the Burma Road, China's last supply link to the Allied world. The situation was desperate, unless the Allies could continue to supply the Chinese with essential military provisions, it would just be a matter of time before China's conventional military forces were overwhelmed by the invading Japanese. The only alternative was to airlift supplies directly to China from Allied supply depots in eastern India. However, to do so meant that American and Chinese airmen would have to fly heavily loaded transport planes over the world's tallest and most unforgiving mountain range - the mighty Himalayas. Flying over the "Hump", airmen of the American Army Air Force and the China National Aviation Corporation would for the next three and a half years, maintain a constant supply of materials and hope to the beleaguered people of China.