BIRMANIA

From January 12^th to March 7^th 1942 the 15^th japanese army led by Shojiro Ida moves from Thailand and attacks the british positions (2 divisions under the other of general Alexander), pushing them back to Rangoon. The british general counter-attack with the help of two chinese army and establish the front line Prome-Toungoo. After April 10^th Ida attack again with 2 more divisions and at the end of May he has conquered Birmania.

In 1943 the British counter-attack: they try to make a hole in the front line near Arakan but they fail.

In April/May 1944 the British wins a few small fights in the North of the country. In June they stop a japanese attack against Imphal and Kohima. Before that, April 19^th 1944, to make a diversion for the attack of MacArthur on Hollandia, Sommerville with the british Eastern Fleet joined by the french battleship Richelieu bombs Sabang (North-West of Sumatra). April 25^th a second bombing is made. October 15^th the bombing target is Nicobar islands, this time to make diversion for the landing at Leyte.

In 1945 the Birmania road is reopened and a major attack is launch by general Slim who now outnumbers the Japaneses in the air with his 98 squadrons and on land with 19 divisions (2 metropolitan, 9 english-indian, 3 african and 5 chinese) for a grand total of 600 000 men. With Slim leading the 14^th british army and Stilwell leading the chinese armies, Mandalay is liberated March 20^th 1944 but the Japaneses' 15^th army led by Mutaguchi enters in India at Assam on March 22. The Japaneses attack Kohima and Imphal while the British retake Meiktila on the 30^th and so isolate the Japaneses. May 3^rd 1944 Rangoon is rescued by the 14^th army and the 15^th artillery corps. With the monsoon (beginning May 15^th) the 33^rd british corps comes in to reenforce the troops and from now then the Japaneses have lost. In all 3 japaneses armies (50 000 men) have been removed from the war with the reconquering of Birmania mainly due to the missing supplies and diseases. From Ledo Stilwell takes Myitkyina on August 3^rd and in january of the next year the road to China is reopened.

January 16^th 1945, the british Pacific Fleet with its 4 carriers type Illustrious, 2 battleships (Howe and King George V), 5 cruisers and 12 destroyers, is formed and sent to Sydney to be under the orders of Bruce Fraser. The Eastern Fleet with its battleship Queen Elizabeth, cruiser Renown, 4 escort carriers, 9 cruisers and 24 destroyers is renamed East Indies Fleet and is under the orders of Arthur Power. Finally the battleships used for the landing of Normandia are also sent in the Pacific to help the Americans.

Introduction Chronology Biography Links Glossary

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page