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Burma Campaign
Part of the Pacific War during World War II

Geography of Burma
Date January 1942 – July 1945
Location Burma
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Commanders
Strength

Flag of the United Kingdom 60,000
Total Allied 100,000

Flag of the Empire of Japan150,000
Flag of Thailand35,000
Total Axis 185,000
Casualties and losses

Flag of the United Kingdom 13,000
Total Allied 15,000

Flag of the Empire of Japan c. The Pacific War was the part of World War II —and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands and in East Asia, between World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Burma (Officially The Union of Myanmar is a country located on the mainland of Southeast Asia, and would be the northwestern most entity of the region Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku This article describes the organisation formed during World War II in Singapore The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists The Burma National Army served as the armed forces of the Burmese government created by the Japanese during World War II and fought in the Burma Campaign The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by Military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill" Slim 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, KStJ Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash General Joseph Warren Stilwell ( March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army four-star General General Aung San (Bogyoke Aung San ( bòʊdʒoʊʔ àʊn sʰán February 13 1915 – July 19 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He held important commands in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and during World War II was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. Biography Kimura was born in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, but was raised in Hiroshima prefecture was a Japanese military officer Lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945 General Aung San (Bogyoke Aung San ( bòʊdʒoʊʔ àʊn sʰán February 13 1915 – July 19 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary 144,000 killed1
1 Japanese Army

The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, the Burmese Independence Army and the Indian National Army. The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Thailand, World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Burma National Army served as the armed forces of the Burmese government created by the Japanese during World War II and fought in the Burma Campaign The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from the United Kingdom, British India and Africa. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British

A notable feature of the campaign was the use of air transport to move troops and to supply them. Large numbers of American and Canadian transport aircraft were in the region to deliver materiel to China and, at times, these were diverted to sustain allied offensives in Burma, thus heavily tipping the regional logistical advantage to the Allies' favour. Materiel (from the French "matériel" for equipment or hardware related to the word Material) is a term used in English to refer to the The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War.

Contents

Japanese capture of Burma

Main article: Japanese capture of Burma

The Japanese launched an attack against the colonial possessions of Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States of America in South-East Asia, in an effort to gain access to strategic materials (rubber and especially oil). The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. They reasoned that the European nations would be too preoccupied with the war in Europe to send reinforcements to their colonies, and the United States would be too distant. The Japanese Army could spare only eleven divisions for their "Southern Campaign", but would have the advantages of air superiority and experienced troops.

Burma was one objective for the Japanese, partly because of its own resources (including oil and surpluses of rice), but mainly to protect its main objectives in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies from British counter-attacks. British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Japanese Fifteenth Army, under Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida, initially consisting of only two infantry divisions, moved into northern Thailand (which had signed a treaty of friendship with Japan), and launched an attack over jungle-clad mountain ranges into the southern Burmese province of Tenasserim. was general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Biography Iida was a native of Yamaguchi prefecture and a graduate of the 20th class of The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Tanintharyi Division, better known by the old name Tenasserim (Thaiตะนาวศรี is a division of Myanmar, covering the long narrow southern

The Japanese successfully attacked over the Kawkareik Pass, and captured the port of Moulmein at the mouth of the Salween River after overcoming stiff resistance. Mawlamyine or Mawlamyaing ( mɔ̀ləmjàiN mjo̰ formerly Moulmein) is the third largest city of Burma (Myanmar situated 300 km south east of Yangon The Salween River (သံလွင်မြစ် θànlwìn myiʔ also spelled Salwine) rises in Tibet ( after which it flows through Yunnan They then advanced northwards, outflanking successive British defensive positions. The Allied troops (the Indian 17th Division) tried to retreat over the Sittang River, but Japanese parties reached the vital bridge before they did. The Sittang (known as the Sittoung in earlier romanisations is a River in Burma (in Bago Division except for a part near the mouth which The commander of the division was forced to blow up the bridge to prevent it being captured intact, with the troops cut off on the far side.

In the opinion of the commanders on the spot, this disaster meant that Rangoon, the capital and principal seaport, could not be defended. Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma. General Wavell, the commander-in-chief of the ABDA Command, nevertheless ordered Rangoon to be held as he was expecting substantial reinforcements from the Middle East. Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA Command, code name ABDACOM, was a short-lived supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in Although some units arrived, counterattacks failed and the new commander of Burma Army (General Harold Alexander), ordered the city to be evacuated after its port and oil refinery had been destroyed. Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG OM GCB GCMG CSI DSO The remnants of Burma Army broke out to the north, narrowly escaping encirclement.

Japanese advance to the Indian frontier

After the fall of Rangoon, the Allies decided to make a stand in the north of the country (Upper Burma), having been reinforced by a Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma. 1st Route Expeditionary Forces - Lo Cho-ying (Late February 1942 * Commander – Lieut The Japanese had also been reinforced by two divisions made available by the capture of Singapore, and defeated both the newly organised Burma Corps and the Chinese force. The Allies were also faced with growing numbers of Burmese insurgents and the civil administration broke down in the areas they still held. With their forces cut off from almost all sources of supply, the Allied commanders finally decided to evacuate their forces from Burma.

The retreat was conducted in very difficult circumstances. Starving refugees, disorganised stragglers, and the sick and wounded clogged the primitive roads and tracks leading to India. Burma Corps managed to make it most of the way to Imphal, in Manipur in India just before the monsoon broke in May 1942, having lost most of their equipment and transport. Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur. In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla Manipur (mnipur in Meitei Mayek) is a state in northeastern India, making its capital in the city of A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There, they found themselves living out in the open under the torrential monsoon rains in extremely unhealthy circumstances. The army and civil authorities in India were very slow to respond to the needs of the troops and civilian refugees.

Due to lack of communication, when the British retreated from Burma, almost none of the Chinese knew about the retreat. Realising that they could not win without British support the Chinese troops committed by Chiang Kai-shek, designated as "X Force", made a hasty and disorganised retreat to India where they were put under the command of the American General Joseph Stilwell. X Force was the name given to the portion of the Kuomintang Chinese Expeditionary Force that retreated from Burma into India in General Joseph Warren Stilwell ( March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army four-star General After recuperating they were re-equipped and retrained by American instructors. Many of the rest of the Chinese troops tried to return to Yunnan through remote mountainous forests and out of these at least half died.

Thai army enters Burma

In accordance with the Thai military alliance with Japan that was signed on December 21, 1941, the leading elements of the Thai Phayap Army crossed the border into the Shan States on May 10, 1942. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Phayap Army (Phayap Thai for northwest was the Thai force that invaded the Shan States on May 10, 1942, during the Burma Campaign Shan State is an administrative division of Myanmar (Burma, which takes its name from the Shan people, one of several ethnic groups that inhabit the area Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. At one time in the past the area had been part of the Ayutthaya kingdom. The kingdom of Ayutthaya (อาณาจักรอยุธยา was a Thai kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767 The boundary between the Japanese and Thai operations was generally the Salween. However, that area south of the Shan States known as Karenni States, the homeland of the Karens, was specifically retained under Japanese control. Karenni, also known as Red Karen or Kayah, are a Sino-Tibetan people living mostly in Kayah State of Burma.

Three Thai infantry and one cavalry division, spearheaded by armoured reconnaissance groups and supported by the air force, started their advance on May 10, and engaged the retreating Chinese 93rd Division. The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF ( Thai: กองทัพอากาศไทย Kong Thab Akat Thai is the Air force of the Kingdom of Thailand Kengtung, the main objective, was captured on May 27. Kengtung ( also spelled Kyaingtong, Chiang Tung, Cheingtung, and Kengtong) is a town in Shan State, Myanmar. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Renewed offensives in June and November drove the Chinese back into Yunnan.

Allied setbacks, 1942 - 1943

Main article: Burma Campaign 1942-1943

The Japanese did not renew their offensive after the monsoon ended. The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. They installed a nominally independent Burmese regime under Ba Maw, and reformed the Burma Independence Army on a more regular basis as the Burma National Army under Aung San. Dr Ba Maw ( 8 February 1893 &ndash 29 May 1977) was a Burmese political leader General Aung San (Bogyoke Aung San ( bòʊdʒoʊʔ àʊn sʰán February 13 1915 – July 19 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary In practice, both government and army were strictly controlled by the Japanese authorities.

On the Allied side, operations in Burma over the remainder of 1942 and in 1943 were a study of military frustration. Britain could only maintain three active campaigns, and immediate offensives in both the Middle East and Far East proved impossible through lack of resources. The Middle East was accorded priority, being closer to home and in accordance with the "Germany First" policy in London and Washington.

The Allied buildup was also hampered by the disordered state of Eastern India at the time. There were violent "Quit India" protests in Bengal and Bihar, which required large numbers of British troops to suppress. The Quit India Movement (Bharat Chhodo Andolan or the August Movement) was a Civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. There was also a disastrous famine in Bengal, which may ultimately have led to 3 million deaths through starvation, disease and exposure. The Bengal famine of 1943 is one amongst the several Famines that occurred in British administered Bengal. In such conditions of chaos, it was difficult to improve the inadequate lines of communication to the front line in Assam, or make use of local industries for the war effort. Efforts to improve the training of Allied troops took time to become effective, and in the forward areas, poor morale and endemic disease reacted on each other to reduce the strength and effectiveness of the fighting units.

Nevertheless, the Allies mounted two operations during the 1942-1943 dry season. The first was a small scale offensive into the coastal Arakan region of Burma. Rakhine State ( formerly Arakan) is a state of Myanmar. Situated the western coast it is bordered by Chin State in the north The Indian "Eastern Army" intended to reoccupy the Mayu peninsula and Akyab Island, which had an important airfield. A division advanced to Donbaik, only a few miles from the end of the peninsula but was halted by a small Japanese force which occupied nearly impregnable bunkers. Japanese reinforcements arrived from Central Burma and crossed rivers and mountain ranges which the Allies had declared to be impassable, to hit the Allies' exposed left flank on and overran several units. The exhausted British were unable to hold any defensive lines and were forced to abandon much equipment and fall back almost to the Indian frontier.

The second action was much more controversial. Under the command of Brigadier Orde Wingate a long-range penetration unit, known as the Chindits, infiltrated through the Japanese front lines and marched deep into Burma with the initial aim of cutting the main north-south railway in Burma, in an operation codenamed Operation Longcloth. Major-General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO and two bars ( February 26, 1903 &ndash March 24, 1944) was a The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army "Special Force" that served Some 3,000 men entered Burma in many columns. They did cause damage to the communications of the Japanese in northern Burma cutting the railway for possibly two weeks, but they suffered heavy casualties. Though the operational results can be questioned, the Chindits proved that British and Indian soldiers could live, move and fight as effectively as the Japanese in the jungle, and this aspect of the campaign was used to great propaganda effect, doing much to restore morale among Allied troops.

Turning point

Main article: Burma Campaign 1944

The campaign from December 1943 to November 1944 was decisive. The fighting in the Burma Campaign in 1944 was among the severest in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II. The Allies were preparing to invade Burma on several fronts, and the Japanese attempted to forestall them by launching an invasion of India. Although the Allies achieved their objectives in only one sector (the extreme north-east of Burma), the Japanese attack was decisively defeated and the Japanese suffered such heavy casualties on all fronts that their future operations in Burma were crippled.

Allied plans

In August 1943 the Allies created South East Asia Command (SEAC) a new combined command responsible for the South-East Asian Theatre, under Admiral Louis Mountbatten. South East Asia Command (SEAC was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II. Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, The training, equipment, health and morale of Allied troops under British Fourteenth Army under Lieutenant General William Slim was improving, as was the capacity of the lines of communication in North-eastern India. The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill" Slim 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, KStJ An innovation was the extensive use of aircraft to transport and supply troops.

SEAC had to accommodate several rival plans, many of which had to be dropped for lack of resources. Amphibious landings on the Andaman Islands (Operation "Pigstick") and in Arakan were abandoned when the landing craft assigned were recalled to Europe in preparation for the Normandy Landings. The Normandy Landings were the first operations of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during

The major effort was to be by American-trained Chinese troops of Northern Combat Area Command under General Joseph Stilwell, to cover the construction of the Ledo Road. The Northern Combat Area Command or NCAC was a mainly Sino-American formation that held the northern end of the Allied front in Burma during World War II Burma and Ledo Road 1944 - 1945jpg|250px|thumb|right|Burma Road and Ledo Road in 1944]]Ledo Burma Roads Assam-Burma-China Orde Wingate had controversially gained approval for a greatly expanded Chindit force, which was tasked with assisting Stilwell by disrupting the Japanese lines of supply to the northern front. Chiang Kai-shek had also agreed reluctantly to mount an offensive from the Yunnan.

Under British Fourteenth Army, Indian XV Corps was preparing to renew the advance in Arakan province, while Indian IV Corps launched a tentative advance from Imphal in the centre of the long front to distract Japanese attention from the other offensives. The Indian XV Corps was a British Commonwealth Corps, which was formed in India during World War II. The Indian IV Corps has a long history The Corps HQ was originally a British formation created during World War I.

Japanese plans

About the same time that SEAC was established, the Japanese created Burma Area Army under Lieutenant General Masakazu Kawabe, which took under command the Fifteenth Army and the newly-formed Twenty-Eighth Army. The was a Field army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He held important commands in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and during World War II The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final days of World War II.

The new commander of Fifteenth Army, Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi was keen to mount an offensive against India. was a Japanese military officer Lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Burma Area Army originally quashed this idea, but found that their superiors at Southern Expeditionary Army Group HQ in Singapore were keen on it. The was a Army group of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. When the staff at Southern Expeditionary Army were persuaded that the plan was inherently risky, they in turn found that Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo was in favour of Mutaguchi's plan. The as part of the Supreme War Council was established in 1893 to coordinate efforts between the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy during wartime

The Japanese were influenced to an unknown degree by Subhas Chandra Bose, commander of the Indian National Army. Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945 The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists This was composed largely of Indian soldiers who had been captured in Malaya or Singapore. At his instigation, a substantial contingent of the INA joined in this Chalo Delhi ("March on Delhi"). Both Bose and Mutaguchi emphasised the advantages which would be gained by a successful attack into India. With misgivings on the part of several of Mutaguchi's superiors and subordinates, Operation U-Go was launched. The U Go offensive, or Operation C (ウ号作戦 was the Japanese offensive in March 1944 launched against Empire forces in the North-East Indian [1]

Northern front 1943/44

Stilwell's forces initially consisted of two American-equipped Chinese divisions with a Chinese-manned M3 Light Tank battalion and an American long-range penetration brigade known after its commander as "Merrill's Marauders". The Light Tank M3 was an American light Tank of World War II in use with British and Commonwealth forces prior to the entry of Merrill’s Marauders, officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional, was a United States Long range penetration Special forces unit

In October 1943 the Chinese 38th Division (led by Sun Li-jen) began to advance from Ledo towards Myitkyina and Mogaung while American engineers and Indian labourers extended the Ledo Road behind them. Sun Li-jen ( Traditional Chinese: 孫立人 Hanyu Pinyin: Sūn Lìrén ( December 8, 1900 &ndash November 19, 1990) was Myitkyina ( in English pronounced myiʔʧíná) is the Capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar (formerly Burma located 919 miles from Mogaung is a Town in the northeast of Kachin State in Burma. The Japanese 18th Division was repeatedly outflanked by the Marauders and threatened with encirclement. was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the.

In Operation Thursday the Chindits were to support Stilwell's advance by interdicting Japanese supply lines in the region of Indaw. The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army "Special Force" that served Indaw (Sagaing Burma is a town in northern Burma. In World War II, a major campaign was fought here in 1944 between Japanese and British forces A brigade began marching across the Patkai mountains on February 5, 1944. The Patkai or the Purvachal are the hills on India 's eastern border with Myanmar (Burma Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In early March three other brigades were flown into landing zones behind Japanese lines by the USAAF 1st Air Commando Group and established roadblocks and defensive strongholds around Indaw. The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. The 1st Air Commando Group was a US Army Air Forces group of fighters bombers transports Military gliders and small planes that operated in the

On March 24, Wingate was killed in an aircrash. Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland His replacement was Brigadier Joe Lentaigne. On May 17 overall control of the Chindits passed from Slim's Fourteenth Army to Stilwell's NCAC. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. The Chindits now moved from the Japanese rear areas to new bases closer to Stilwell's front, and were given additional tasks for which they were not equipped. They achieved several objectives, but at the cost of heavy casualties. By the end of June, they had linked up with Stilwell's forces but were exhausted, and were withdrawn to India.

Also on May 17, in a daring move, Merrill's Marauders captured the airfield at Myitkyina. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Myitkyina ( in English pronounced myiʔʧíná) is the Capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar (formerly Burma located 919 miles from [2] The Allies did not immediately follow up this success and the Japanese were able to reinforce the town, which fell only after a siege which lasted until August 3. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. The airfield had nevertheless already become a vital link in the air supply route over the Hump. The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew from India

Yunnan Front

The Chinese forces on the Yunnan front mounted an attack starting in the second half of April, with nearly 40,000 troops crossing The Salween river on a 300km front. Within a few days some twelve Chinese Divisions of 72,000 men, under the command of General Wei Lihuang, were attacking the Japanese 56th Division. Wei Lihuang ( 16 February 1897 - 17 January 1960) was a Chinese general who served the Nationalist government throughout the Chinese Civil The Japanese forces in the North were now fighting on two fronts: the Allies from the North West and the Nationalist Chinese from the North East.

The Chinese Yunnan offensive was hampered by the monsoon rains and lack of air support, but succeeded in annihilating the garrison of Tengchung at the end of May. After overcoming determined Japanese resistance (in which the Japanese were helped when Chinese plans and codes fell into their hands by chance), the Chinese captured Lungling at the end of August. At this point, the Japanese moved reinforcements (amounting to a further division in strength) to Yunnan and counter-attacked, temporarily halting the Chinese advance.

Southern front 1943/44

In Arakan, Indian XV Corps under Lieutenant General Philip Christison renewed the advance on the Mayu peninsula. The Indian XV Corps was a British Commonwealth Corps, which was formed in India during World War II. General Sir (Alexander Frank Philip Christison 4th Baronet GBE CB DSO MC ( November 17, 1893 - December 21 Ranges of steep hills channeled the advance into three attacks each by an Indian or West African division. The Indian 5th Infantry Division captured the small port of Maungdaw on January 9, 1944. Indian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the British Indian Army which fought in several theatres of World War II and more than earned its nickname Maungdaw is a Town in the Rakhine State of westernmost part of Myanmar. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Corps then prepared to capture two railway tunnels linking Maungdaw with the Kalapanzin valley but the Japanese struck first. A strong force from the Japanese 55th Division infiltrated Allied lines to attack the Indian 7th Infantry Division from the rear, overrunning the divisional HQ. IJA Fifty Fifth Division was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. The 7th Indian Infantry Division was a war-formed division part of the British Indian Army, created during World War II.

Unlike previous occasions on which this had happened, the Allied forces stood firm against the attack, and supplies were dropped to them by parachute. In the Battle of the Admin Box from February 5 to February 23 1944, the Japanese concentrated on XV Corps' Administrative Area, defended mainly by service troops, but they were unable to deal with tanks supporting the defenders, while troops from 5th Division broke through the Ngakyedauk Pass to relieve the defenders of the box. The Battle of the Admin Box (sometimes referred to as the Battle of Ngakyedauk or the Battle of Sinzweya) took place on the Southern Front of the Burma Campaign Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Although battle casualties were approximately equal, the overall result was a heavy Japanese defeat. Their infiltration and encirclement tactics had failed to panic Allied troops, and as the Japanese were unable to capture enemy supplies, they themselves starved.

Over the next few weeks, XV Corps offensive wound down as the Allies concentrated on the Central Front. After capturing the railway tunnels, XV Corps halted during the monsoon.

Central front 1943/44

Imphal and Kohima Campaign
Imphal and Kohima Campaign
Main article: U Go Offensive

Indian IV Corps, under Lieutenant-General Geoffrey Scoones, had pushed forward two divisions to the Chindwin River. The U Go offensive, or Operation C (ウ号作戦 was the Japanese offensive in March 1944 launched against Empire forces in the North-East Indian Sir Geoffrey Allen Percival Scoones KCB, KBE, CSI, DSO, MC (1893 - 1975 was a general in the British Indian Army One division was in reserve at Imphal. There were indications that a major Japanese offensive was building. Slim and Scoones planned to withdraw and force the Japanese to fight with their logistics stretched beyond the limit. However, they misjudged the date on which the Japanese were to attack, and the strength they would use against some objectives.

The Japanese 15th Army consisted of three infantry divisions and a brigade-sized detachment ("Yamamoto Force"), and initially a regiment from the Indian National Army. Mutaguchi, the Army commander, planned to cut off and destroy the forward divisions of IV Corps, before capturing Imphal, while the 31st Division isolated Imphal by capturing Kohima. Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur. In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla was an Infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its Call sign was the. The Battle of Kohima (the " Stalingrad of the East" was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in World War II Mutaguchi intended to exploit the capture of Imphal by capturing the strategic city of Dimapur, in the Brahmaputra River valley. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dimapur (दीमापुर is the main commercial hub and one of the three municipalities in the state of The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. If this could be achieved, the lines of communication to General Stilwell's forces and the airbases used to supply the Chinese over the Hump would be cut. The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew from India

The Japanese troops crossed the Chindwin River on March 8. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Scoones (and Slim) were slow to order their forward troops to withdraw and the Indian 17th Division was cut off at Tiddim. the What is Tedim is a Town in Chin State, northwestern part of Myanmar. It fought its way back to Imphal with aid from Scoones's reserve division, supplied by parachute drops. North of Imphal, Indian 50th Parachute Brigade was defeated at Sangshak by a regiment from the Japanese 31st Division on its way to Kohima. Imphal had was left vulnerable to an attack by the Japanese 15th Division from the north but because the diversionary attack launched by Japanese in Arakan had already been defeated, Slim was able to move the Indian 5th Division by air to the Central Front. Two brigades went to Imphal, the other went to Dimapur from where it sent a detachment to Kohima.

Main article: Battle of Imphal

By the end of the first week in April, Indian IV Corps had concentrated in the Imphal plain. The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July The Japanese launched several offensives during the month, which were repulsed. At the start of May, Slim and Scoones began a counter-offensive against the Japanese 15th Division north of Imphal. Progress was slow, as movement was made difficult by monsoon rains and IV Corps was short of supplies.

Main article: Battle of Kohima

Also at the beginning of April, the Japanese 31st Division under Lieutenant-General Kotoku Sato reached Kohima. The Battle of Kohima (the " Stalingrad of the East" was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in World War II Kotoku Sato ( March 5 1893 - February 26 1959) was an Imperial Japanese Army soldier and commander Instead of isolating the small British garrison there and pressing on with his main force to Dimapur, Sato chose to capture the hill station. Hill station is a term used for a town usually at somewhat higher elevations The siege lasted from on April 5 to April 18, when the exhausted defenders were relieved. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. A new formation HQ, the Indian XXXIII Corps under Lieutenant-General Montagu Stopford, now took over operations on this front. The Indian XXXIII Corps was part of Fourteenth Army of the British Indian Army during World War II. Not to be confused with his grandfather the 19th century admiral Montagu Stopford (admiral. The British 2nd Infantry Division began a counter-offensive and by May 15, they had prised the Japanese off Kohima Ridge itself. The British 2nd Division was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the After a pause during which more Allied reinforcements arrived, XXXIII Corps renewed its offensive.

By now, the Japanese were at the end of their endurance. Their troops (particularly 15th and 31st Divisions) were starving, and during the monsoon, disease rapidly spread among them. Lieutenant-General Sato had notified Mutaguchi that his division would withdraw from Kohima at the end of May if it were not supplied. In spite of orders to hold on, Sato did indeed retreat. The leading troops of IV Corps and XXXIII Corps met at Milestone 109 on the Dimapur-Imphal road on June 22, and the siege of Imphal was raised. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom.

Mutaguchi (and Kawabe) continued to order renewed attacks. 33rd Division and Yamamoto Force made repeated efforts, but by the end of June they had suffered so many casualties both from battle and general sickness that they were unable to make any progress. The Imphal operation was finally broken off early in July, and the Japanese retreated painfully to the Chindwin River.

It was the largest defeat to that date in Japanese history. They had suffered 55,000 casualties, including 13,500 dead. Most of these losses were the result of disease, malnutrition and exhaustion. The Allies suffered 17,500 casualties. Mutaguchi was relieved of his command, as were most of his divisions' commanders.

From August to November, Fourteenth Army pursued the Japanese to the Chindwin River. While the 11th East Africa Division advanced down the Kabaw Valley from Tamu, the Indian 5th Division advanced along the mountainous Tiddim road. By the end of November, Kalewa had been recaptured, and several bridgeheads were established on the east bank of the Chindwin.

Allied 1944-1945 offensives

Main article: Burma Campaign 1944-1945

The Allies launched a series of offensive operations into Burma during late 1944 and the first half of 1945. The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United The command on the front was rearranged in November 1944. 11th Army Group was replaced by Allied Land Forces South East Asia and NCAC and XV Corps were placed directly under this new headquarters. Although the Allies were still attempting to complete the Ledo Road, it was apparent that it would not materially affect the course of the war in China.

The Japanese also made major changes in their command. The most important was the replacement of General Kawabe at Burma Area Army by Hyotaro Kimura. was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. Biography Kimura was born in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, but was raised in Hiroshima prefecture Kimura threw Allied plans into confusion by refusing to fight at the Chindwin River. Recognising that most of his formations were weak and short of equipment, he withdrew his forces behind the Irrawaddy River. The Ayeyarwady River or Irrawaddy River ( is a River that flows from north to south of Burma (Myanmar

Southern Front 1944/45

In Arakan, XV Corps resumed its advance on Akyab Island for the third year in succession. This time the Japanese were far weaker, and retreated before the steady Allied advance. They evacuated Akyab Island on December 31, 1944. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It was occupied by XV Corps without resistance two days later.

Landing craft had now reached the theatre, and XV Corps launched amphibious attacks on the Myebon Peninsula on January 12, 1945, and at Kangaw ten days later, to cut off the retreating Japanese. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar There was severe fighting until the end of the month, in which the Japanese suffered heavy casualties.

An important objective for XV Corps was the capture of Ramree Island and Cheduba Island, to construct airfields which would support the Allies' operations in Central Burma. Ramree Island is an Island off the coast of Myanmar. The area of the island is about 1350 km² Cheduba Island (also known as Manaung Island is an Island in the Bay of Bengal close to Ramree Island belonging to Burma. There was severe fighting on Ramree, in which most of the Japanese garrison died. The Battle of Ramree Island was fought for six weeks during January and February 1945 as part of the British Fourteenth Army 1944/45 offensive on the Southern Front XV Corps operations on the mainland were curtailed to release transport aircraft to support Fourteenth Army.

Northern Front 1944/45

NCAC resumed its advance late in 1944, although it was progressively weakened by the return of Chinese troops, and the transport aircraft which supported them, to the main front in China. On December 10, 1944, the British 36th Infantry Division on NCAC's right flank made contact with units of Fourteenth Army near Indaw in Northern Burma. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 36th Infantry Division was a Second World War British Army formation created from the Indian Army 36th Infantry Division during the campaign in Five days later, Chinese troops on the command's left flank captured the city of Bhamo. Bhamo is a city of Kachin State in northernmost part of Myanmar, located 186 km south from the capital city of Myitkyina.

NCAC made contact with Chiang's Yunnan armies on January 21, 1945, and the Ledo road could finally be completed, although by this point in the war its value was uncertain. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Chiang ordered the American General Sultan, commanding NCAC, to halt his advance at Lashio, which was captured on March 7. General Daniel Isom Sultan, ( December 9, 1885 &ndash January 14, 1947) was born Oxford Mississippi and died in Washington Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus As usual, the British and Americans refused to understand that Chiang had to balance the needs of China as a whole against fighting the Japanese in a British colony.

The Japanese were concentrating on the fighting in Central Burma, and they now abandoned their northern front. From April 1, NCAC's operations stopped, and its units returned to China and India. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne A US-led guerrilla force, OSS Detachment 101, took over the remaining military responsibilities of NCAC. Detachment 101 of the Office of Strategic Services operated in the China Burma India Theater of World War II.

Central Front 1944/45

Main article: Battles of Meiktila and Mandalay

Fourteenth Army, now consisting of IV Corps and XXXIII Corps, made the main offensive effort into Burma. The concurrent Battle of Meiktila and Battle of Mandalay were decisive battles near the end of the Burma Campaign. Although the Japanese retreat over the Irrawaddy forced the Allies to completely change their plans, such was the Allies' material superiority particularly in logistics, that they were able to do so. IV Corps was switched in secret from the right to the left flank of the army and aimed to cross the Irrawaddy near Pakokku and seize the Japanese line-of-communication centre of Meiktila, while XXXIII Corps continued to advance on Mandalay. Pakokku ( Burmese:) is a Town in the Magway Division in Myanmar. Meiktila is a town in Mandalay Division, Myanmar; its population was 252305 in 1901 and it is located at 20°53'N 95°53' E Mandalay is the second largest city and the last royal capital of Burma (Myanmar and is the economic and cultural hub of Upper Burma

During January and February, XXXIII Corps seized crossings over the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay. There was heavy fighting, which attracted Japanese reserves and fixed their attention. Late in February, Indian 7th Division, leading IV Corps, seized crossings at Nyaungu, near Pakokku. Indian 17th Division and 255th Indian Armoured brigade followed them across and struck for Meiktila. In the open terrain of Central Burma, this force outmanoeuvered Japanese defences and fell on Meiktila on March 1. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant The town was captured in four days, despite resistance to the last man.

The Japanese tried first to relieve the garrison at Meiktila, and then to recapture the town and destroy its defender. Their attacks were not properly coordinated, and were repulsed. By the end of March month the Japanese had suffered heavy casualties and lost most of their artillery, their chief anti-tank weapon. They broke off the attack and retreated to Pyawbwe.

XXXIII Corps had renewed its attack on Mandalay. It fell to Indian 19th Division on March 20, though the Japanese held the former citadel which the British called Fort Dufferin for another week. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Much of the historically and culturally significant portions of Mandalay were burned to the ground. With the fall of Mandalay (and of Maymyo to its east), communications to the Japanese front in the north of Burma were cut, and the road link between India and China could finally be completed though far too late to matter much.

Race for Rangoon

Though the Allied force had advanced successfully into central Burma, it was vital to capture the port of Rangoon before the monsoon to avoid a logistic crisis. In the spring of 1945, the other factor in the race for Rangoon was the years of planning by the liaison organisation, Force 136, which resulted in a national uprising within Burma and the defection of the entire Burma National Army to the allied side. Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organization the Special Operations Executive (SOE The Burma National Army served as the armed forces of the Burmese government created by the Japanese during World War II and fought in the Burma Campaign In addition to the allied advance, the Japanese now faced open rebellion behind their lines.

XXXIII Corps mounted Fourteenth Army's secondary drive down the Irrawaddy River valley against stiff resistance from the Japanese 28th Army. IV Corps made the main attack, down the "Railway Valley", which was also followed by the Sittang River. The Sittang (known as the Sittoung in earlier romanisations is a River in Burma (in Bago Division except for a part near the mouth which They began by striking at a Japanese delaying position (held by the remnants of 33rd Army) at Pyawbwe. Pyawbwe may refer to many places in Burma, particularly in the Mandalay Division: Magwe Division Pyawbwe Magwe Division The attackers were initially halted by a strong defensive position behind a dry chaung, but a flanking move by tanks and mechanized infantry struck the Japanese from the rear and shattered them.

From this point, the advance down the main road to Rangoon faced little organised opposition. An uprising by Karen guerillas prevented the Japanese 15th Army reaching the major road centre of Toungoo before IV Corps captured it. The Karen ( self-titled Pwa Ka Nyaw Po, and also known in Thailand as the Kariang (กะเหรี่ยง or Yang, are an ethnic group in Taungoo ( also known as Toungoo) is a city in the Bago Division of Myanmar, located 220 km from Yangon, towards the northern end of the The leading Allied troops met Japanese rearguards north of Pegu, 40 miles (64 km) north of Rangoon, on April 25. Bago, formerly Pegu, is a city and the capital of Bago Division in Burma (or Myanmar Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Kimura had formed the various service troops, naval personnel and even Japanese civilians in Rangoon into the Japanese 105 Independent Mixed Brigade. This scratch formation held up the British advance until April 30 and covered the evacuation of the Rangoon area. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule

Operation Dracula

The original conception of the plan to re-take Burma had seen XV Corps making an amphibious assault on Rangoon well before Fourteenth Army reached the capital, in order to ease supply problems. This operation, codenamed Operation Dracula was postponed as landing craft were lacking. During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces part of the Burma

Slim feared that the Japanese would defend Rangoon to the last man through the monsoon, which would put Fourteenth Army in a disastrous supply situation. He therefore asked for Dracula to be re-mounted at short notice. However, Kimura had ordered Rangoon to be evacuated, starting on April 22. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. The Japanese 105 Independent Mixed Brigade, by holding Pegu, covered this evacuation.

On May 1, a Gurkha parachute battalion was dropped on Elephant Point, and cleared Japanese rearguards from the mouth of the Rangoon River. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. The Yangon River (also known as Rangoon River or Hlaing River) is an Estuary that runs from Yangon to the Andaman Sea. The Indian 26th Infantry Division landed the next day as the monsoon began, and took over Rangoon, which had seen an orgy of looting and lawlessness similar to the last days of the British in the city in 1942. The Indian 26th Infantry Division, part of the British Indian Army, was raised during World War II, and fought in the Burma Campaign.

The leading troops of the Indian 17th and 26th divisions met at Hlegu, 28 miles (45 km) north of Rangoon, on May 6. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance.

Final operations

Following the capture of Rangoon, a new Twelfth Army headquarters was created from XXXIII Corps HQ to take control of the formations which were to remain in Burma. The British Twelfth Army was formed on May 28, 1945 to take control of operations in Burma from the Fourteenth Army, which was being withdrawn

The Japanese 28th Army, after withdrawing from Arakan and resisting XXXIII Corps in the Irrawaddy valley, had retreated into the Pegu Yomas, a range of low jungle-covered hills between the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers. They planned to break out and rejoin Burma Area Army. To cover this breakout, Kimura ordered 33rd Army to mount a diversionary offensive across the Sittang, although the entire army could muster the strength of barely a regiment. On July 3, they attacked British positions in the "Sittang Bend". Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. On July 10, after a battle for country which was almost entirely flooded, both the Japanese and the Allies withdrew. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia.

The Japanese had attacked too early. Sakurai's 28th Army was not ready to start the breakout until July 17. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians The breakout was a disaster. The British had placed ambushes or artillery concentrations on the routes the Japanese were to use. Hundreds of men drowned trying to cross the swollen Sittang on improvised bamboo floats and rafts. Burmese guerillas and bandits killed stragglers east of the river. The breakout cost the Japanese nearly 10,000 men, half the strength of 28th Army. British and Indian casualties were minimal.

Fourteenth Army (now under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey) and XV Corps had returned to India to plan the next stage of the campaign to re-take south east Asia. A new corps, the Indian XXXIV Corps, under Lieutenant-General Ouvry Lindfield Roberts was raised and assigned to Fourteenth Army for further operations. The Indian XXXIV Corps was formed towards the end of World War II to be part of the Fourteenth Army in Operation Zipper, the invasion of Malaya Lieutenant-General Sir Ouvry Lindfield Roberts, GCB, KBE, DSO (born 3 April 1898; died 1986 was an officer in the

This was to be an amphibious assault on the western side of Malaya codenamed Operation Zipper. During World War II, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya as staging areas for the recapture The dropping of the atomic bombs forestalled Zipper, but the operation was undertaken post-war as the quickest way of getting occupation troops into Malaya.

American and Canadian contribution

The RAF were aided by a number of USAAF units from the Tenth and Fourteenth air forces. Tenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas The Fourteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC The American Volunteer Group (AVG) known as "Flying Tigers" were in the theatre before the war and the unit formed the core of the Fourteenth Air Force. The American Volunteer Groups were volunteer air units organized by the government of the USA in order to aid the Nationalist government of China against The Royal Canadian Air Force supplied two squadrons, the 435 and 436 Transport Squadrons, flying twin engined Dakotas. [3]

Two other notable units were the No. 490 Bomb Squadron USAAF nicknamed the "Burma Bridge Busters", (part of the 341 Bomb Group USAAF which also included the 11th, 22nd and 491st Bomb Squadrons) and 1st Air Commando Group which was created to support the Chindits. When the Chindit operation ended, the 1st Air Commando Group, renamed the 1st Air Commando Force, stayed to support other units of the British Fourteenth Army.

The strategic need to keep open the supply routes to China dictated the Burma campaign. After the loss of the Burma Road, the British wanted to supply China via the Hump until they could recapture it. The American General Joseph Stilwell thought it better to build a new road through north Burma to link up with the Burma Road close to the Chinese border. He prevailed and this influenced the conduct of the campaign. So that the Ledo Road could be built, he attacked the Japanese northern front with Merrill's Marauders, the Chindits and Chinese troops along the route of the new road. They cleared north Burma after heavy jungle fighting and the prolonged siege of Myitkyina.

The American and Canadian contribution was also vital to the logistics in the theatre. The USAAF provided roughly half the air transport units deployed in Burma, and almost all the aircraft flown by RAF transport squadrons. Specialist American railroad units using imported American and Canadian locomotives increased the tonnage carried by the Northeast Indian Railways to three times their peacetime level.

For more details see Northern Combat Area Command and the China Burma India Theater. The Northern Combat Area Command or NCAC was a mainly Sino-American formation that held the northern end of the Allied front in Burma during World War II China Burma India Theater (CBI (later IBT or India-Burma theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjuction with Allied air

Medals and honours

Battle Honour: BURMA 1944-1945

Qualification: For operations during the 14th Army's advance from Imphal to Rangoon, the coastal amphibious assaults, and the Battle of Pegu Yomas, August 1944 to August 1945.

The president of the USA, authorized by Act of Congress, July 20, 1942, has awarded the Legion of Merit to Major General Tai An Lan, Chinese Army. Major General Tai An Lan distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious service as the Commander of the 200th Division, Chinese Army during the 1942 operations in Burma.

Command structure

Allied command

Initially command problems beset the Burma campaign. Burma was swapped from command to command during the pre-war period and the early months of the war. It was never expected that the Japanese would invade Burma.

The British commander in Burma, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Hutton was removed from command shortly before Rangoon fell in March 1942. Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Jacomb Hutton, MC, KCB, KCIE was a British general who lived from 1890 to 1981 Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was replaced by Sir Harold Alexander. Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG OM GCB GCMG CSI DSO Hutton became Alexander's chief of staff. The Burma 1st Division and Indian 17th Infantry Division at first had to be controlled directly by Burma Army headquarters, as there was no corps HQ. 39th Indian Division (originally the 1st Burma Division became a Training Division in 1943 after its recovery into India from Burma. The Indian 17th Infantry Division was a formation of the British Indian Army raised during World War II. Structure of Myanmar Army The Army has always been by far the largest service in Myanmar and has always received the lion's share of the defence budget After the fall of Rangoon, Burma Corps Headquarters was created under Lieutenant General William Slim to control the forces that remained in Burma. Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill" Slim 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, KStJ

Cooperation with the Chinese proved difficult for several reasons. The American Liaison (Stilwell) was ill-tempered and lacked respect for either the British[4] or the Chinese. Chiang Kai-Shek, the leader of Nationalist China, was more interested in fighting the Japanese in China than in attempting to save a disorganised British force in Burma. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash The Chinese Army also suffered from severe command problems, with important orders having to come directly from Chiang himself if they were to be obeyed. From the Chinese perspective, the Americans and the British were trying to take over command of the Chinese armies to use them for their own purposes. These problems were never completely satisfactorily resolved. They were partially resolved by the Americans in the aftermath of the 1942 campaign re-equipping, re-training and taking over the leadership of the Chinese forces that had made their way to India.

When the retreat from Burma ended in May 1942, Burma Corps was wound up. Operations had entered Eastern Army's area. Eastern Army was primarily an administrative rather than field command, and had perhaps too many responsibilities in addition to control of operations. Eastern Army commanded IV Corps in Assam and XV Corps in the Arakan. The Indian IV Corps has a long history The Corps HQ was originally a British formation created during World War I. The Indian XV Corps was a British Commonwealth Corps, which was formed in India during World War II. Both corps also had extensive rear area and internal security commitments, distracting them from the immediate front. An organisation known as V Force provided a screen of locally-raised guerillas and levies in front of the defensive positions. V Force was a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering organisation established by the British during the Burma Campaign in World War II.

On June 20, 1943 Wavell became Viceroy of India and was succeeded as CinC India by General Sir Claude Auchinleck. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE (21 June 1884 &ndash 23 March 1981 nicknamed In August 1943, the Allies formed a new South East Asia Command (SEAC) to take over strategic responsibilities for the theatre. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. South East Asia Command (SEAC was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II. The reorganisation of the theatre command took about two months. On October 4, 1943 Winston Churchill appointed Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten Supreme Commander of this new command. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, The American General Joseph Stilwell was Deputy Supreme Commander, among his many other appointments. General Joseph Warren Stilwell ( March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army four-star General On November 15 Auchinleck formally handed over responsibility for the conduct of operations against the Japanese in the theatre to Mountbatten. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria.

With the creation of SEAC, Eastern Army was split into two. Under GHQ India, Eastern Command took over responsibility for the rear areas of Bihar, Orissa and most of Bengal. Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang The Fourteenth Army under Slim took over responsibility for operations against the Japanese. The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II.

SEAC's land forces HQ was 11th Army Group under General Sir George Giffard. General Sir George Giffard GCB DSO (1886 - 1964 was a British military officer who had a distinguished career in command of African troops It controlled Fourteenth Army and the Ceylon Army, but Stilwell refused to place the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) under Giffard, using a variety of pretexts. Ceylon Defence Force (CDF was established in 1910 by reforming the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF that existed that the time as the ( military reserve) in the British The Northern Combat Area Command or NCAC was a mainly Sino-American formation that held the northern end of the Allied front in Burma during World War II At a meeting to sort out the chain of command for the three fronts in Burma, he astonished everyone by saying "I am prepared to come under General Slim's operational control until I get to Kamaing". Kamaing is a Town in the Kachin State of northernmost part of the Union of Myanmar. This compromise worked because Slim was able to handle Stilwell. It was essential that there was one operational commander for the three fronts, North, Central and Southern, so that the intended attacks in late 1944 could be coordinated to prevent the Japanese concentrating large numbers of reserves for a counter attack on any one front.

11th Army Group remained in existence until November 12, 1944 when it was redesignated Allied Land Forces South East Asia (ALFSEA), still under SEAC. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lieutenant General Sir Oliver Leese succeeded Giffard in command. Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese 3rd Baronet KCB, CBE, DSO ( 27 October, 1884 - 22 January 11th Army Group was redesignated because it was felt that an inter-Allied command was better than the purely British headquarters that 11th Army Group was. The change was made just after Stilwell was recalled to the U. S. . Lieutenant General Daniel Sultan became commander of the U. General Daniel Isom Sultan, ( December 9, 1885 &ndash January 14, 1947) was born Oxford Mississippi and died in Washington S. Forces, India-Burma Theater (USFIBT) and commander of NCAC, and this change placed his command under ALFSEA.

Japanese command

Note that in Japanese terminology, an "Army" was equivalent to a British or American "Corps". An "Area Army" was equivalent to an Allied "Army".

The chief command for the Japanese in South East Asia was the Southern Expeditionary Army, under Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi. The was a Army group of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Count was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and Commander of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group during World War II. This HQ was equivalent to an Allied theatre command. Southern Expeditionary army was responsible for operations as far afield as New Guinea, the Philippines and Burma

The initial invasion of Burma was conducted by 15th Army, under Lieutenant-General Shojiro Iida. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The was a army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the World War II. was general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Biography Iida was a native of Yamaguchi prefecture and a graduate of the 20th class of

In late 1943, a new HQ, "Burma Area Army" was created, under General Masakazu Kawabe. The was a Field army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He held important commands in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and during World War II It absorbed 15th Army, now under Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi and responsible for the Central front, and the newly created 28th Army under Lieutenant-General Shoso Sakurai which controlled the Southern front. was a Japanese military officer Lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final days of World War II.

In April 1944, another Army, 33rd Army, was created under Lieutenant-General Masaki Honda, to control the Northern front. The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final days of World War II.

After the failure of the Imphal offensive in late 1944, there were several changes in command. At Burma Area Army, Kawabe was replaced by the former Vice War Minister, Hyotaro Kimura. was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. Biography Kimura was born in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, but was raised in Hiroshima prefecture Kimura was a shrewd strategist, but perhaps more of a logistics expert than fighting soldier, so Lieutenant-General Shinichi Tanaka was made his Chief of Staff. (In Japanese formations, the Chief of Staff had a more prominent role in the day-to-day control of operations than in Allied formations).

At the same time, Mutaguchi was removed from command of 15th Army and replaced by Lieutenant-General Shihachi Katamura. Many divisional commanders and Staff Officers also were sacked, removed or transferred.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Allen, Burma: the Longest Campaign, pp. The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The Japanese occupation of Burma refers to the period between 1942 and 1945 during World War II, when Burma was a part of the Empire of Japan. The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army "Special Force" that served 157-170
  2. ^ Allen, Burma: The Longest War, pp. 364-365
  3. ^ http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/burma/squadron1 Retrieved on 2008-05-01
  4. ^ Keegan (ed) References pp. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. 111 & 287

References

Bibliography

External links

Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese 3rd Baronet KCB, CBE, DSO ( 27 October, 1884 - 22 January
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