OhYesIdid
15th July 2011, 20:47
Just today I found out about this, and thought I'd share. I considered myself a WWII geek, but my sheer lack of knowledge in this puts me to shame. There are many interesting aspects about this front, here are some:
The INA
The Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj (Hindi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi_language): आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज) was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movement) in 1942 in Southeast Asia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia) during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II).
The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Raj) in colonial India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India), with Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japan) assistance. Initially composed of Indian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Army) prisoners of war (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_war) captured by Japan in the Malayan campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_campaign) and at Singapore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore), it later drew volunteers from Indian expatriate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_expatriate) population in Malaya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya) and Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma).
Initially formed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_INA) in 1942 immediately after the fall of Singapore under Mohan Singh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohan_Singh_Deb), the first INA collapsed in December that year before it was revived under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhas_Chandra_Bose) in 1943 and proclaimed the army of Bose's Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arzi_Hukumat-e-Azad_Hind) (The Provisional Government of Free India). This second INA fought along with the Imperial Japanese Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army) against the British and Commonwealth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth) forces in the campaigns in Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma), Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Imphal) and Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima), and later, against the successful Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign) of the Allies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II). The end of the war saw a large number of the troops repatriated to India where some faced trial for treason and became a galvanising point of the Indian Independence movement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_movement).
After Indian independence, the ex-INA members, with some exceptions, were refused service in the Indian Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army). However, a number of notable members later became involved in public life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_life) in India and in Southeast Asia.
The legacy of the INA is controversial given its associations with Imperial Japan, the course of Japanese occupations in Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Burma), Indonesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Indonesia) and other parts of Southeast Asia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia), its alliance with Nazi Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany) and Fascist Italy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy_%281861%E2%80%931946%29), as well as Japanese war crimes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes) and the alleged complicity of the troops of the INA in these.
Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan) and Southeast Asia were major refuges for Indian nationalists living in exile before the start of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). They were strong proponents of militant nationalism and influenced Japanese policy significantly.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-Dignan1983-4)[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-5) Although Japanese intentions and policies with regards to India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Raj) were far from concrete at the start of the war,[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-6) Japan had sent intelligence missions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F_Kikan), notably under Major (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major) I Fujiwara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Fujiwara), into South Asia even before the start of the war to garner support from the Malayan Sultans, overseas Chinese, the Burmese resistance and the Indian movement. These missions were successful establishing contacts with Indian nationalists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movement) in exile in Thailand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand) and Malaya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya), supporting the establishment and organisation of the Indian Independence League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_League).[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-7)[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-8)
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 (local time) before the attack on Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor).
Shortly after midnight on December 7 / 8 December, Indian soldiers patrolling the beaches at Kota Bharu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kota_Bharu) spotted three large shadows: the transport ships Awazisan Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awazisan_Maru_%281939%29), Ayatosan Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ayatosan_Maru&action=edit&redlink=1), and Sakura Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sakura_Maru&action=edit&redlink=1), dropping anchor approximately 3 km off the coast. The ships were carrying approximately 5,200 troops of the Takumi Detachment (Major-General Hiroshi Takumi (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hiroshi_Takumi&action=edit&redlink=1), aboard Awazisan Maru). Most of these troops were veterans of the war in China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China).[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Klemen-16)
The invasion began with a bombardment at around 12:30 a.m. local time on 8 December. (The Japanese carrier planes flying towards Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor) were about 20 minutes away; the attack there started at 02:48 a.m. local time, although it is usually referred to as the 7 December attack as it occurred in the morning of 7 December US time). The loading of landing craft began almost as soon as the transports dropped anchor. Rough seas and strong winds hampered the operation and a number of smaller craft capsized.[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Dull-11) Several Japanese soldiers drowned. Despite these difficulties, by 12:45 AM the first wave of landing craft was heading for the beach in four lines.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Klemen-16)
Colonel Masanobu Tsuji (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masanobu_Tsuji) wrote in his book about the Malaya Campaign: “ The enemy pillboxes, which were well prepared, reacted violently with such heavy force that our men lying on the beach, half in and half out of the water could not raise their heads.[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Tsuji-22)
No. 1 Squadron RAAF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) based at RAF Kota Bharu launched ten Hudson bombers to attack the Japanese transports, each loaded with four 250 pound bombs. In the seventeen sorties flown they lost two Hudsons shot down and three badly damaged. One Hudson, flown by Flight Lieutenant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Lieutenant) John Leighton-Jones, crashed into a fully laden landing craft after being hit while strafing the beachhead, killing some 60 Japanese soldiers onboard.
Note: keep in mind that the first Kamikaze attacks occurred during the battle of Leyte, in 1944, so this might have set a precedent, or inspiration.
Without any real naval presence, the British were unable to challenge Japanese naval operations off the Malayan coast, operations which proved invaluable to the invading army. With virtually no remaining Allied planes, the Japanese also had mastery of the skies, leaving the Allied ground troops and civilian population exposed to air attack.
The Malayan island of Penang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang) was bombed daily by the Japanese from 8 December and abandoned on 17 December. Arms, boats, supplies and a working radio station were left in haste to the Japanese. The evacuation of Europeans from Penang, with local inhabitants being left to the mercy of the Japanese, caused much embarrassment for the British and alienated them from the local population. Historians judge that "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not at Singapore, but at Penang" [16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-15)
By the end of the first week in January, the entire northern region of Malaya had been lost to the Japanese. At the same time, Thailand officially signed a Treaty of Friendship with Imperial Japan, which completed the formation of their loose military alliance. Thailand was then allowed by the Japanese to resume sovereignty over several sultanates in northern Malaya, thus consolidating their occupation. It did not take long for the Japanese army's next objective, the city of Kuala Lumpur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur), to fall. The Japanese entered and occupied the city unopposed on 11 January 1942. Singapore Island was now less than 200 mi (320 km) away for the invading Japanese army. The 11th Indian Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_11th_Infantry_Division) managed to delay the Japanese advance at Kampar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kampar) for a few days, in which the Japanese suffered severe casualties in terrain that did not allow them to use their tanks or their air superiority to defeat the British. The 11th Indian Division was forced to retreat when the Japanese landed troops by sea south of the Kampar position. The British retreated to prepared positions at Slim River (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_River).
At the disastrous Slim River battle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Slim_River), in which two Indian brigades were practically annihilated, the Japanese used surprise and tanks to devastating effect in a risky night attack. The success of this attack forced Percival into replacing the 11th Indian Division with the 8th Australian Division.
Defence of Johor
Royal Engineers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Engineers) preparing to blow up a bridge near Kuala Lumpur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur) during the retreat.
By mid-January, the Japanese had reached the southern Malayan state of Johore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johore) where, on 14 January, they encountered troops from the Australian 8th Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_8th_Division), commanded by Major-General (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major-General) Gordon Bennett (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Gordon_Bennett), for the first time in the campaign. During engagements with the Australians, the Japanese experienced their first major tactical setback, due to the stubborn resistance put up by the Australians at Gemas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemas). The battle—centred around the Gemensah Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemensah_Bridge)—proved costly for the Japanese, who suffered up to 600 casualties but the bridge itself—which had been demolished during the fighting—was repaired within six hours.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
As the Japanese attempted to outflank the Australians to the west of Gemas, one of the bloodiest battles of the campaign began on 15 January on the peninsula's West coast near the Muar River (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muar_River). Bennett allocated the 45th Indian Brigade—a new and half-trained formation—to defend the river's South bank but the unit was outflanked by Japanese units landing from the sea and the Brigade was effectively destroyed with its commander, Brigadier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadier) H. C. Duncan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._C._Duncan), and all three of his battalion commanders killed.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) Two Australian infantry battalions—which had been sent to support the 45th Brigade—were also outflanked and their retreat cut off, with one of the Australian battalion commanders killed in the fighting around the town of Bakri (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakri), south-east of Muar. During the fighting at Bakri Australian anti-tank gunners had destroyed nine Japanese tanks,[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) slowing the Japanese advance long enough for the surviving elements of the five battalions to attempt an escape from the Muar area.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
Led by Australian Lieutenant-Colonel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant-Colonel) Charles Anderson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Groves_Wright_Anderson), the surviving Indian and Australian troops formed the "Muar Force" and fought a desperate four-day withdrawal,[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) allowing remnants of the Commonwealth troops withdrawing from northern Malaya to avoid being cut off and to push past the Japanese to safety. When the Muar Force reached the bridge at Parit Sulong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parit_Sulong) and found it to be firmly in enemy hands, Anderson, with mounting numbers of dead and wounded, ordered "every man for himself". Those that could took to the jungles, swamps and rubber plantations in search of their division headquarters at Yong Peng (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yong_Peng). The wounded were left to the mercy of the Japanese and all but two out of 135 were tortured and killed in the Parit Sulong Massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parit_Sulong_massacre). Anderson was awarded a Victoria Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross) for his fighting withdrawal.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) The Battle of Muar cost the allies an estimated 3,000 casualties including one brigadier and four battalion commanders.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
On 31 January, the last organised Allied forces left Malaya, and Allied engineers blew a 70 ft (21 m)-wide hole in the causeway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Causeway) that linked Johore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johore) and Singapore; a few stragglers would wade across over the next few days. Japanese raiders and infiltrators, often disguised as Singaporean civilians, began to cross the Straits of Johor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_of_Johor) in inflatable boats soon afterwards.
In less than two months, the Battle for Malaya had ended in comprehensive defeat for the Commonwealth forces and their retreat from the Malay Peninsula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Peninsula). Nearly 50,000 Commonwealth troops had been captured or killed during the battle. The Japanese Army invaded the island of Singapore on 7 February and completed their conquest of the island on 15 February.
By the end of January, Patrick Heenan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stanley_Vaughan_Heenan)—British Indian Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Army) captain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29) convicted of treason (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason), after spying (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage) for Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan)—had been court-martialled and sentenced to death.[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-Elphick-14) On 13 February, five days after the invasion of Singapore Island, and with Japanese forces approaching the city centre, Heenan was taken by military police to the waterside and was hastily executed. His body was thrown into the sea.
All of the remaining troops in Malaya retreated into Singapore and when the last trooper set foot across the bridge, the island of Singapore was isolated; engineers destroyed the last remaining bridge.
Kohima and Imphal
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/Kohima_ridge.jpg
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japan) U Go offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Go_offensive) into India in 1944 in World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohima) in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad) of the East".[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-2)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-3)
Kohima's strategic importance in the wider 1944 Japanese Chindwin offensive lay in that it was the summit of a pass that offered the Japanese the best route from Burma into India.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen228-0) and through which ran the road which was the main supply route (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Supply_Route) between the base at Dimapur in the Brahmaputra River valley, and Imphal,[20] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-19) where three divisions of British and Indian troops faced the main Japanese offensive.
Before the 161st Indian Brigade arrived, the only fighting troops in the Kohima area were the newly raised Assam Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam_Regiment) and a few platoons from the 3rd (Naga Hills) Battalion of the paramilitary Assam Rifles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam_Rifles). [people who follow the Situation in India might recognize these fuckers]
topford's Corps HQ took over responsibility for the front from Ranking on 3 April.[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Slim306-22) The next day, he ordered the 161st Indian Brigade to move forward to Kohima again, but only one battalion, 4th Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen%27s_Own_Royal_West_Kent_Regiment) (now part of the Queen's Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Regiment)), arrived in Kohima before the Japanese cut the road west of the ridge. Besides this battalion, the garrison consisted of a raw battalion (the Shere Regiment) from the Royal Nepalese Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal_Army), some companies from the Burma Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burma_Regiment&action=edit&redlink=1), some of the Assam Regiment which had retired to Kohima and various detachments of convalescents and line-of-communication troops. The garrison numbered about 2,500, of which about 1,000 were non-combatants[25] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-24) and was commanded by Colonel Hugh Richards, who had served formerly with the Chindits.[26] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen227-25)
Some of the heaviest fighting took place at the north end of Kohima Ridge around the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow and tennis court, in what became known as the Battle of the Tennis Court (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court). The tennis court became a no man's land (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_man%27s_land), with the Japanese and the defenders of Kohima dug in on opposite sides, so close to each other that grenades were thrown between the trenches. On the night of 17/18 April, the Japanese finally captured the DC's bungalow area. Other Japanese captured Kuki Picquet, cutting the garrison in two.[28] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-27) The defenders' situation was desperate, but the Japanese did not follow up by attacking Garrison Hill, and when day broke, troops of 161st Indian Brigade arrived to relieve the garrison.[29] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-28) [say what you want about bourgeois glorification of bloodshed, I find that last paragraph fucking epic]
The British 2nd Division, commanded by Major General John M. L. Grover, had begun to arrive at Dimapur in early April. By 11 April, Fourteenth Army had about the same number of troops in the area as the Japanese. The British 5th Brigade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Infantry_Brigade_%28United_Kingdom%29) of the 2nd Division broke through Japanese roadblocks to relieve 161st Brigade in Jotsoma on 15 April. The British 6th Brigade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Infantry_Brigade_%28United_Kingdom%29) took over 161st Brigade's defensive position (the "Jotsoma Box"), allowing the 161st Brigade with air, artillery and armour support to launch an attack towards Kohima on 18 April. After a day's heavy fighting, the leading troops of the Brigade (1st Bn. 1st Punjab Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Punjab_Regiment)) broke through and started to relieve the Kohima garrison.[30] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-29) By this point, Kohima resembled a battlefield from the First World War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), with smashed trees, ruined buildings ruined and the ground covered in craters.
The decisive factor was the Japanese lack of supplies. The Japanese 31st Division had begun the operation with only three weeks' supply of food.[35] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen286-34) Once these supplies were exhausted, they had had to make do with meagre captured stocks and what they could forage in increasingly hostile local villages. This was partly due to the British 23rd LRP Brigade, which had been operating behind the Japanese division. They had cut the Japanese supply lines and prevented them foraging in the Naga Hills to the east of Kohima. The Japanese had mounted two resupply missions, using captured jeeps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep) to carry supplies forward from the Chindwin, but they brought mainly artillery and anti-tank ammunition rather than food.[35] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen286-34)
By the middle of May, Sato's troops were starving.
On 25 May, Sato notified Fifteenth Army HQ that he would withdraw on 1 June unless his division received supplies.[47] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-46) Finally on 31 May, he abandoned Naga Village and other positions north of the road, in spite of orders from Mutaguchi to hang on to his position.[37] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen.2C_p.289-36) (For a divisional commander to retreat without orders or permission from his superior was unheard-of in the Japanese Army.)[48] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-47)
Miyazaki's detachment continued to fight rearguard actions and demolish bridges along the road to Imphal, but was eventually driven off the road and forced to retreat eastwards. The remainder of the Japanese division retreated painfully south, but found very little to eat, as most of what few supplies had been brought forward across the Chindwin had been consumed by other Japanese units, who were as desperately hungry as Sato's men.[49] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-48) Many of the 31st Division were too enfeebled to drag themselves further south than Ukhrul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukhrul) (near the Sangshak battlefield), where hospitals had been set up, but with no medicines, medical staff or food, or Humine 20 miles (32 km) south of Ukhrul, where Sato vainly hoped to find supplies.[50] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-49)
Indian XXXIII Corps followed up the retreating Japanese. The British 2nd Division advanced down the main road while the 7th Indian Division (using mules and jeeps for most of its transport) moved through the rough terrain east of the road. On 22 June, the leading troops of British 2nd Division met the main body of 5th Indian Infantry Division advancing north from Imphal at Milestone 109, 30 miles (48 km) south of Kohima.[51] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen295-50) The siege of Imphal was over, and truck convoys quickly carried vital heavy supplies to the troops at Imphal.
During the Battle of Kohima, the British and Indian forces had lost 4,064 men, dead, missing and wounded.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen643-1) Against this the Japanese had lost 5,764 battle casualties in the Kohima area,[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen643-1) and many of the 31st Division subsequently died of disease or starvation.
The fighting within the 6th Brigade's area was documented by Major Boshell, who commanded 'B' Company, 1st Royal Berkshires, in the 6th Infantry Brigade:
“ To begin with I took over an area overlooking the Tennis Court... The lie of the land made impossible to move by day because of Japanese snipers. We were in Kohima for three weeks. We were attacked every single night... They came in waves, it was like a pigeon shoot. Most nights they overran part of the battalion position, so we had to mount counter-attacks... Water was short and restricted to about one pint per man per day. So we stopped shaving. Air supply was the key, but the steep terrain and narrow ridges meant that some of the drops went to the Japs. My company went into Kohima over 100 strong and came out at about 60.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnonymous20046-0) ” This battle was ultimately to prove to be the turning point of the Battle of Kohima which was the turning point of the Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign). Earl Louis Mountbatten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Mountbatten,_1st_Earl_Mountbatten_of_Burma), the Supreme Allied Commander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Asia_Command) in the theatre, described Kohima as
“ probably one of the greatest battles in history... in effect the Battle of Burma... naked unparalleled heroism... the British/Indian Thermopylae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae).[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnonymous20043-1)
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imphal), the capital of the state of Manipur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipur) in North-East India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-East_India) from March until July 1944. Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan) armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India), but were driven back into Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma) with heavy losses. Together with the simultaneous Battle of Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima) on the road by which the encircled Allied forces at Imphal were relieved, the battle was the turning point of the Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign), part of the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South-East_Asian_Theatre_of_World_War_II).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Imphalradio.jpg/200px-Imphalradio.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Imphalradio.jpg) http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.17/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Imphalradio.jpg)
On Imphal front, Sikh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh) signaller operates wireless for British officers, listening to patrols reporting Japanese positions.
After the war, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission set up cemeteries in Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imphal) and Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohima) to commemorate the memories of the British and the Indian soldiers who died during the Second World War
I'll expand this when I have the time :D
The INA
The Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj (Hindi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi_language): आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज) was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movement) in 1942 in Southeast Asia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia) during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II).
The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Raj) in colonial India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India), with Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japan) assistance. Initially composed of Indian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Army) prisoners of war (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_war) captured by Japan in the Malayan campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_campaign) and at Singapore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore), it later drew volunteers from Indian expatriate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_expatriate) population in Malaya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya) and Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma).
Initially formed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_INA) in 1942 immediately after the fall of Singapore under Mohan Singh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohan_Singh_Deb), the first INA collapsed in December that year before it was revived under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhas_Chandra_Bose) in 1943 and proclaimed the army of Bose's Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arzi_Hukumat-e-Azad_Hind) (The Provisional Government of Free India). This second INA fought along with the Imperial Japanese Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army) against the British and Commonwealth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth) forces in the campaigns in Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma), Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Imphal) and Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima), and later, against the successful Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign) of the Allies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II). The end of the war saw a large number of the troops repatriated to India where some faced trial for treason and became a galvanising point of the Indian Independence movement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_movement).
After Indian independence, the ex-INA members, with some exceptions, were refused service in the Indian Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army). However, a number of notable members later became involved in public life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_life) in India and in Southeast Asia.
The legacy of the INA is controversial given its associations with Imperial Japan, the course of Japanese occupations in Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Burma), Indonesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Indonesia) and other parts of Southeast Asia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia), its alliance with Nazi Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany) and Fascist Italy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy_%281861%E2%80%931946%29), as well as Japanese war crimes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes) and the alleged complicity of the troops of the INA in these.
Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan) and Southeast Asia were major refuges for Indian nationalists living in exile before the start of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). They were strong proponents of militant nationalism and influenced Japanese policy significantly.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-Dignan1983-4)[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-5) Although Japanese intentions and policies with regards to India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Raj) were far from concrete at the start of the war,[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-6) Japan had sent intelligence missions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F_Kikan), notably under Major (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major) I Fujiwara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Fujiwara), into South Asia even before the start of the war to garner support from the Malayan Sultans, overseas Chinese, the Burmese resistance and the Indian movement. These missions were successful establishing contacts with Indian nationalists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movement) in exile in Thailand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand) and Malaya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya), supporting the establishment and organisation of the Indian Independence League (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_League).[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-7)[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Army#cite_note-8)
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 (local time) before the attack on Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor).
Shortly after midnight on December 7 / 8 December, Indian soldiers patrolling the beaches at Kota Bharu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kota_Bharu) spotted three large shadows: the transport ships Awazisan Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awazisan_Maru_%281939%29), Ayatosan Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ayatosan_Maru&action=edit&redlink=1), and Sakura Maru (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sakura_Maru&action=edit&redlink=1), dropping anchor approximately 3 km off the coast. The ships were carrying approximately 5,200 troops of the Takumi Detachment (Major-General Hiroshi Takumi (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hiroshi_Takumi&action=edit&redlink=1), aboard Awazisan Maru). Most of these troops were veterans of the war in China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China).[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Klemen-16)
The invasion began with a bombardment at around 12:30 a.m. local time on 8 December. (The Japanese carrier planes flying towards Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor) were about 20 minutes away; the attack there started at 02:48 a.m. local time, although it is usually referred to as the 7 December attack as it occurred in the morning of 7 December US time). The loading of landing craft began almost as soon as the transports dropped anchor. Rough seas and strong winds hampered the operation and a number of smaller craft capsized.[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Dull-11) Several Japanese soldiers drowned. Despite these difficulties, by 12:45 AM the first wave of landing craft was heading for the beach in four lines.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Klemen-16)
Colonel Masanobu Tsuji (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masanobu_Tsuji) wrote in his book about the Malaya Campaign: “ The enemy pillboxes, which were well prepared, reacted violently with such heavy force that our men lying on the beach, half in and half out of the water could not raise their heads.[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Invasion_of_Malaya#cite_note-Tsuji-22)
No. 1 Squadron RAAF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) based at RAF Kota Bharu launched ten Hudson bombers to attack the Japanese transports, each loaded with four 250 pound bombs. In the seventeen sorties flown they lost two Hudsons shot down and three badly damaged. One Hudson, flown by Flight Lieutenant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Lieutenant) John Leighton-Jones, crashed into a fully laden landing craft after being hit while strafing the beachhead, killing some 60 Japanese soldiers onboard.
Note: keep in mind that the first Kamikaze attacks occurred during the battle of Leyte, in 1944, so this might have set a precedent, or inspiration.
Without any real naval presence, the British were unable to challenge Japanese naval operations off the Malayan coast, operations which proved invaluable to the invading army. With virtually no remaining Allied planes, the Japanese also had mastery of the skies, leaving the Allied ground troops and civilian population exposed to air attack.
The Malayan island of Penang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang) was bombed daily by the Japanese from 8 December and abandoned on 17 December. Arms, boats, supplies and a working radio station were left in haste to the Japanese. The evacuation of Europeans from Penang, with local inhabitants being left to the mercy of the Japanese, caused much embarrassment for the British and alienated them from the local population. Historians judge that "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not at Singapore, but at Penang" [16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-15)
By the end of the first week in January, the entire northern region of Malaya had been lost to the Japanese. At the same time, Thailand officially signed a Treaty of Friendship with Imperial Japan, which completed the formation of their loose military alliance. Thailand was then allowed by the Japanese to resume sovereignty over several sultanates in northern Malaya, thus consolidating their occupation. It did not take long for the Japanese army's next objective, the city of Kuala Lumpur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur), to fall. The Japanese entered and occupied the city unopposed on 11 January 1942. Singapore Island was now less than 200 mi (320 km) away for the invading Japanese army. The 11th Indian Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_11th_Infantry_Division) managed to delay the Japanese advance at Kampar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kampar) for a few days, in which the Japanese suffered severe casualties in terrain that did not allow them to use their tanks or their air superiority to defeat the British. The 11th Indian Division was forced to retreat when the Japanese landed troops by sea south of the Kampar position. The British retreated to prepared positions at Slim River (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_River).
At the disastrous Slim River battle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Slim_River), in which two Indian brigades were practically annihilated, the Japanese used surprise and tanks to devastating effect in a risky night attack. The success of this attack forced Percival into replacing the 11th Indian Division with the 8th Australian Division.
Defence of Johor
Royal Engineers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Engineers) preparing to blow up a bridge near Kuala Lumpur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur) during the retreat.
By mid-January, the Japanese had reached the southern Malayan state of Johore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johore) where, on 14 January, they encountered troops from the Australian 8th Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_8th_Division), commanded by Major-General (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major-General) Gordon Bennett (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Gordon_Bennett), for the first time in the campaign. During engagements with the Australians, the Japanese experienced their first major tactical setback, due to the stubborn resistance put up by the Australians at Gemas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemas). The battle—centred around the Gemensah Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemensah_Bridge)—proved costly for the Japanese, who suffered up to 600 casualties but the bridge itself—which had been demolished during the fighting—was repaired within six hours.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
As the Japanese attempted to outflank the Australians to the west of Gemas, one of the bloodiest battles of the campaign began on 15 January on the peninsula's West coast near the Muar River (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muar_River). Bennett allocated the 45th Indian Brigade—a new and half-trained formation—to defend the river's South bank but the unit was outflanked by Japanese units landing from the sea and the Brigade was effectively destroyed with its commander, Brigadier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadier) H. C. Duncan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._C._Duncan), and all three of his battalion commanders killed.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) Two Australian infantry battalions—which had been sent to support the 45th Brigade—were also outflanked and their retreat cut off, with one of the Australian battalion commanders killed in the fighting around the town of Bakri (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakri), south-east of Muar. During the fighting at Bakri Australian anti-tank gunners had destroyed nine Japanese tanks,[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) slowing the Japanese advance long enough for the surviving elements of the five battalions to attempt an escape from the Muar area.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
Led by Australian Lieutenant-Colonel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant-Colonel) Charles Anderson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Groves_Wright_Anderson), the surviving Indian and Australian troops formed the "Muar Force" and fought a desperate four-day withdrawal,[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) allowing remnants of the Commonwealth troops withdrawing from northern Malaya to avoid being cut off and to push past the Japanese to safety. When the Muar Force reached the bridge at Parit Sulong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parit_Sulong) and found it to be firmly in enemy hands, Anderson, with mounting numbers of dead and wounded, ordered "every man for himself". Those that could took to the jungles, swamps and rubber plantations in search of their division headquarters at Yong Peng (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yong_Peng). The wounded were left to the mercy of the Japanese and all but two out of 135 were tortured and killed in the Parit Sulong Massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parit_Sulong_massacre). Anderson was awarded a Victoria Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross) for his fighting withdrawal.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16) The Battle of Muar cost the allies an estimated 3,000 casualties including one brigadier and four battalion commanders.[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-The_Battle_of_Muar-16)
On 31 January, the last organised Allied forces left Malaya, and Allied engineers blew a 70 ft (21 m)-wide hole in the causeway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Causeway) that linked Johore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johore) and Singapore; a few stragglers would wade across over the next few days. Japanese raiders and infiltrators, often disguised as Singaporean civilians, began to cross the Straits of Johor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straits_of_Johor) in inflatable boats soon afterwards.
In less than two months, the Battle for Malaya had ended in comprehensive defeat for the Commonwealth forces and their retreat from the Malay Peninsula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Peninsula). Nearly 50,000 Commonwealth troops had been captured or killed during the battle. The Japanese Army invaded the island of Singapore on 7 February and completed their conquest of the island on 15 February.
By the end of January, Patrick Heenan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stanley_Vaughan_Heenan)—British Indian Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Army) captain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29) convicted of treason (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason), after spying (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage) for Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan)—had been court-martialled and sentenced to death.[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Campaign#cite_note-Elphick-14) On 13 February, five days after the invasion of Singapore Island, and with Japanese forces approaching the city centre, Heenan was taken by military police to the waterside and was hastily executed. His body was thrown into the sea.
All of the remaining troops in Malaya retreated into Singapore and when the last trooper set foot across the bridge, the island of Singapore was isolated; engineers destroyed the last remaining bridge.
Kohima and Imphal
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/Kohima_ridge.jpg
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japan) U Go offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Go_offensive) into India in 1944 in World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohima) in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad) of the East".[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-2)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-3)
Kohima's strategic importance in the wider 1944 Japanese Chindwin offensive lay in that it was the summit of a pass that offered the Japanese the best route from Burma into India.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen228-0) and through which ran the road which was the main supply route (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Supply_Route) between the base at Dimapur in the Brahmaputra River valley, and Imphal,[20] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-19) where three divisions of British and Indian troops faced the main Japanese offensive.
Before the 161st Indian Brigade arrived, the only fighting troops in the Kohima area were the newly raised Assam Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam_Regiment) and a few platoons from the 3rd (Naga Hills) Battalion of the paramilitary Assam Rifles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam_Rifles). [people who follow the Situation in India might recognize these fuckers]
topford's Corps HQ took over responsibility for the front from Ranking on 3 April.[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Slim306-22) The next day, he ordered the 161st Indian Brigade to move forward to Kohima again, but only one battalion, 4th Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen%27s_Own_Royal_West_Kent_Regiment) (now part of the Queen's Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Regiment)), arrived in Kohima before the Japanese cut the road west of the ridge. Besides this battalion, the garrison consisted of a raw battalion (the Shere Regiment) from the Royal Nepalese Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal_Army), some companies from the Burma Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burma_Regiment&action=edit&redlink=1), some of the Assam Regiment which had retired to Kohima and various detachments of convalescents and line-of-communication troops. The garrison numbered about 2,500, of which about 1,000 were non-combatants[25] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-24) and was commanded by Colonel Hugh Richards, who had served formerly with the Chindits.[26] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen227-25)
Some of the heaviest fighting took place at the north end of Kohima Ridge around the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow and tennis court, in what became known as the Battle of the Tennis Court (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court). The tennis court became a no man's land (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_man%27s_land), with the Japanese and the defenders of Kohima dug in on opposite sides, so close to each other that grenades were thrown between the trenches. On the night of 17/18 April, the Japanese finally captured the DC's bungalow area. Other Japanese captured Kuki Picquet, cutting the garrison in two.[28] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-27) The defenders' situation was desperate, but the Japanese did not follow up by attacking Garrison Hill, and when day broke, troops of 161st Indian Brigade arrived to relieve the garrison.[29] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-28) [say what you want about bourgeois glorification of bloodshed, I find that last paragraph fucking epic]
The British 2nd Division, commanded by Major General John M. L. Grover, had begun to arrive at Dimapur in early April. By 11 April, Fourteenth Army had about the same number of troops in the area as the Japanese. The British 5th Brigade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Infantry_Brigade_%28United_Kingdom%29) of the 2nd Division broke through Japanese roadblocks to relieve 161st Brigade in Jotsoma on 15 April. The British 6th Brigade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Infantry_Brigade_%28United_Kingdom%29) took over 161st Brigade's defensive position (the "Jotsoma Box"), allowing the 161st Brigade with air, artillery and armour support to launch an attack towards Kohima on 18 April. After a day's heavy fighting, the leading troops of the Brigade (1st Bn. 1st Punjab Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Punjab_Regiment)) broke through and started to relieve the Kohima garrison.[30] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-29) By this point, Kohima resembled a battlefield from the First World War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), with smashed trees, ruined buildings ruined and the ground covered in craters.
The decisive factor was the Japanese lack of supplies. The Japanese 31st Division had begun the operation with only three weeks' supply of food.[35] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen286-34) Once these supplies were exhausted, they had had to make do with meagre captured stocks and what they could forage in increasingly hostile local villages. This was partly due to the British 23rd LRP Brigade, which had been operating behind the Japanese division. They had cut the Japanese supply lines and prevented them foraging in the Naga Hills to the east of Kohima. The Japanese had mounted two resupply missions, using captured jeeps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep) to carry supplies forward from the Chindwin, but they brought mainly artillery and anti-tank ammunition rather than food.[35] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen286-34)
By the middle of May, Sato's troops were starving.
On 25 May, Sato notified Fifteenth Army HQ that he would withdraw on 1 June unless his division received supplies.[47] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-46) Finally on 31 May, he abandoned Naga Village and other positions north of the road, in spite of orders from Mutaguchi to hang on to his position.[37] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen.2C_p.289-36) (For a divisional commander to retreat without orders or permission from his superior was unheard-of in the Japanese Army.)[48] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-47)
Miyazaki's detachment continued to fight rearguard actions and demolish bridges along the road to Imphal, but was eventually driven off the road and forced to retreat eastwards. The remainder of the Japanese division retreated painfully south, but found very little to eat, as most of what few supplies had been brought forward across the Chindwin had been consumed by other Japanese units, who were as desperately hungry as Sato's men.[49] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-48) Many of the 31st Division were too enfeebled to drag themselves further south than Ukhrul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukhrul) (near the Sangshak battlefield), where hospitals had been set up, but with no medicines, medical staff or food, or Humine 20 miles (32 km) south of Ukhrul, where Sato vainly hoped to find supplies.[50] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-49)
Indian XXXIII Corps followed up the retreating Japanese. The British 2nd Division advanced down the main road while the 7th Indian Division (using mules and jeeps for most of its transport) moved through the rough terrain east of the road. On 22 June, the leading troops of British 2nd Division met the main body of 5th Indian Infantry Division advancing north from Imphal at Milestone 109, 30 miles (48 km) south of Kohima.[51] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen295-50) The siege of Imphal was over, and truck convoys quickly carried vital heavy supplies to the troops at Imphal.
During the Battle of Kohima, the British and Indian forces had lost 4,064 men, dead, missing and wounded.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen643-1) Against this the Japanese had lost 5,764 battle casualties in the Kohima area,[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima#cite_note-Allen643-1) and many of the 31st Division subsequently died of disease or starvation.
The fighting within the 6th Brigade's area was documented by Major Boshell, who commanded 'B' Company, 1st Royal Berkshires, in the 6th Infantry Brigade:
“ To begin with I took over an area overlooking the Tennis Court... The lie of the land made impossible to move by day because of Japanese snipers. We were in Kohima for three weeks. We were attacked every single night... They came in waves, it was like a pigeon shoot. Most nights they overran part of the battalion position, so we had to mount counter-attacks... Water was short and restricted to about one pint per man per day. So we stopped shaving. Air supply was the key, but the steep terrain and narrow ridges meant that some of the drops went to the Japs. My company went into Kohima over 100 strong and came out at about 60.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnonymous20046-0) ” This battle was ultimately to prove to be the turning point of the Battle of Kohima which was the turning point of the Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign). Earl Louis Mountbatten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Mountbatten,_1st_Earl_Mountbatten_of_Burma), the Supreme Allied Commander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Asia_Command) in the theatre, described Kohima as
“ probably one of the greatest battles in history... in effect the Battle of Burma... naked unparalleled heroism... the British/Indian Thermopylae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae).[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tennis_Court#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnonymous20043-1)
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imphal), the capital of the state of Manipur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipur) in North-East India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-East_India) from March until July 1944. Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan) armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India), but were driven back into Burma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma) with heavy losses. Together with the simultaneous Battle of Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima) on the road by which the encircled Allied forces at Imphal were relieved, the battle was the turning point of the Burma Campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Campaign), part of the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South-East_Asian_Theatre_of_World_War_II).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Imphalradio.jpg/200px-Imphalradio.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Imphalradio.jpg) http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.17/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Imphalradio.jpg)
On Imphal front, Sikh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh) signaller operates wireless for British officers, listening to patrols reporting Japanese positions.
After the war, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission set up cemeteries in Imphal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imphal) and Kohima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohima) to commemorate the memories of the British and the Indian soldiers who died during the Second World War
I'll expand this when I have the time :D