The Burma Campaign was a set of military operations carried out by the Allied forces, under the command of General Archibald Wavell, against the Japanese 15th and 28th Army, led by General Shojiro Iida, in Southeast Asia. It took place in Burma (today's Myanmar) from February 1943 to July 1945, during World War II. As every military engagement with the Imperial Japanese Army, the Burma Campaign would become a vicious and protracted armed struggle, with the Allied soldiers having to specially adapt to fighting in the jungle. However, at the end, hard excruciating training paid off as the Allies were able to defeat the Japanese.
Background
In January 1942, the Japanese 15th Army, under Shojiro Iida, had advanced into Thailand from French-Indochina (Vietnam). Then, from Thai territory, the Nipponese forces had marched through jungle-covered mountains, invading the southern portion of Burma. A couple of weeks later, Shojiro Iida would take the port of Moulmein and, in May 1942, the Japanese would capture Rangoon, the capital of Burma, which was also an important sea port. This is how the British and Indian forces had been routed and driven back into India by a tenacious and unrelenting enemy. Thus, the Japanese had blocked the Allied supply line road to China. The British-Indian forces would attempt to recover the lost territory throughout the remainder of 1942, especially the area of Arakan, but it would be to no avail; in vain.
Summary
The real military operation that would turn the tide of the war in Southeast Asia was the Burma Campaign, which was carried out by the Chindits, the British 14th Army, and the Merrill's Marauders. The Chindits was a large, highly-trained, military unit, which had been formed and organized by Brigadier Orde Wingate at the end of 1942. These men were specially selected and trained for jungle infiltration and raiding operations. They consisted of 12,000 men organized into four groups. They were complemented by the American Merrill's Marauders (5307th Composite Unit/Provisional), led by General Frank Merrill.
On February 8, 1943, a group of 3,000 Chindits launched Operation Longcloth. They made their way deep into the Burmese jungle. They would spend four months raiding Japanese-held territory. They cut the Mandalay-Myitkyina Railway at 75 points, wreaking havoc, before the Japanese counterattacked and drove them back. However, Wingate would launch an even more audacious operation, which involved penetration deep behind Japanese front lines. This was to reinforce the American advanced on Myitkyina. Thus, in early 1944, six Chindit brigades were airlifted and taken into enemy-held territory to establish blocking points against Japanese logistic supplies that would be used against the Marauders. After several months fighting in the jungle, they were withdrawn for refit.
In April 1944, the British 14th Army, led by General William Slim, bore the brunt of a powerful Japanese counterattack carried out by the 15th Army at Kohima and Imphal. The British managed to hold their positions for two months. Then, having been reinforced, they launched a series of counterattacks, completely defeating the Japanese at the Battle of Kohima and Imphal in June and July 1944, respectively. Thus, the enemy was forced to pull back, losing 65,000 men. The British victory was possible thanks to constant air supply and to the Chindits and Marauders doing sabotage and disrupting the Japanese supply lines. From then on, until the end of the war in August 1945, Burma would be under the control of Allied forces.
The British 14th Army, along with the Chindits, would continue its military operations against the Japanese in the regions of Mandalay and Meiktila, which would be recovered in 1945.
Commanders
Allies: Archibald Wavell, Orde Wingate, Joseph Stilwell, William Slim.
Japan: Shojiro Iida, Renya Mutaguchi (who replaced Iida as commander of 15th Army), Masakazu Kawabe.
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| Map of Southeast Asia shows Burma lying between Thailand and Northern India. |
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| Above, Merrill's Marauders' soldiers in the jungle during the Burma Campaign in 1944. |
The Chindits carrying out military operations during the WW2 campaign in Southeast Asia (video)
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