Battle of Kohima-Imphal, 1944
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Modern Era
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12 comments
| William Slim versus Renya Mutaguchi: A Japanese army under Mutaguchi tries to cut off and destroy a British army under Slim. Can Slim defend and supply the beleaguered twin cities long enough to mount an offensive? Also known as Operation U-Go. Click on images below to view; first image opens video presentation and second image opens PowerPoint presentation. | Legend |
The Burma Campaign itself is often seen as comparatively unimportant even though more Japanese were defeated by Slim than any other commander. Indirectly though, the Burma Campaign was vital; had Slim failed to reopen the Burma Road, the Japanese Ichi-Go Offensive to knock China out of the war may have succeeded. This would have made the Pacific War much more costly and difficult, considering that the three million Japanese troops committed in China could have been diverted.
Slim won this battle the way the Allies won the war: he lured Mutaguchi into a battle of attrition in which an overwhelming superiority of material and logistics prevailed. Mutaguchi’s plan was rigid and inflexible which meant the British supply base at Dimapur was not taken despite being undefended. Slim had a plan but adjustments were made during the battle to overcome new obstacles such as the unexpected attack against Kohima.
 I was fascinated with this battle for a long time. Battles of annihilation, in which a commander’s goal is to annihilate the enemy force rather than just to defeat it, are always intriguing and showcase the epitome of skill. Think back to Cannae, Mohi Heath and Blenheim; Kohima-Imphal is on the same level as these, only lesser known.
- Jonathan Webb
Works Consulted
Evans, Geoffrey. “Imphal-Kohima.” In Decisive Battles of the 20th Century, edited by Noble Frankland and Christopher Dowding, 251-264. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1976.
Greiss, Thomas. Campaign Atlas to the Second World War. New Jersey: Avery, 1989.
Moser, Don. China-Burma-India. New Jersey: Time-Life Books, 1978.
Slim, William. Defeat Into Victory. London: Cassell, 1956.
Images
British soldiers: http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/Images-1939a.html
Japanese soldiers: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1122355.shtml?sectionId=3&articleId=1122355
Renya Mutaguchi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutaguchi_Renya
William Slim: http://www.lancs-fusiliers.co.uk/gallerynew/WW2/1stBn/chindits.htm
Tell a Friend:
            Tags: 1900s, armour, attack from a defensive position, British, envelopment of both flanks, infantry, Japanese, land, modern day India, Modern Era, Renya Mutaguchi, Season 2, siege, Southern Asia, William Slim, World War II, World War II - Burma Front
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12 Comments to “Battle of Kohima-Imphal, 1944”
I believe my Father took part in this campaign , also the Battle of the tennis court as it came to be known , he was in the Royal Scors , a Lance corporal , he was injured by shrapnel , a Gurkha soldier also his friend , carried him to safety where he spent a year in hospital , they did manage to save his arm and his life . His name was John Reidie . If that gurkha had not saved his life I nor my brother and 2 sisters would be here today . Gordon Reidie
By Gordon Reidie on Apr 2, 2010 at 10:17 am
This is awesome i love seeing the statics in this way how do you get the voice on it
By Thomas on Jun 3, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Having served in the area at that time in the R.A.F. To get a bigger picture. of what was going on in your surroundings in a animated way FIne
By jack day on Aug 26, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Your commentary has a fairly big factual error around 00:25.
1) Stilwell was not in command in Arakan.
2) Arakan is in the south, not the north.
By Ian on Mar 27, 2011 at 10:36 am
That is a fairly big factual error. I meant to refer to Stilwell’s Northern Combat Area Command and its victories around Myitkyina. It will be corrected in the near future.
By Jonathan Webb on Apr 15, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Thank you so much for this informative and interesting piece.
My father also served at Imphal in this campaign, and although he has spoken very little over the years of this chapter in his military life, I remember him enthusing about the brilliant, pragmatic, enlightened leadership of William Slim.
By Ruth on Apr 25, 2011 at 2:57 pm
My father Tom was one of the forgotten army(14th) he saw big men reduced to slim men due to not enough food supplies .I’m assuming he was in Imphal He never spoke about a lot of what happened,only how good the Ghurkas were .
He had nightmares up until the week that he passed away aged nearly 82 in 2003
By Alan Redican on May 8, 2011 at 2:22 pm
good to see battle of kohima n imphal… i’m from imphal….war memorial were placed here…n the japanese war veteran are constructing a hospital,here, in the memory of there fellow soldiers. hope more british veteran came to see their fellow fallen soldiers. young british soldier just 18 year old died here….its sad people almost forgot….while people are busy with western n eastern front.
By binod salam on Jul 30, 2011 at 3:51 am
im from near imphal war cemetry. I can help u anyone if u want photos of rear imphal war cemetry.just contact me-devarishim@yahoo.com
By deva on Dec 11, 2011 at 6:37 am
Its awesome, and was particularly helpful in understanding what exactly happened in Imphal and Kohima.
By Janani on Dec 29, 2011 at 4:38 pm
The japanese never win any battle against westerners right?
By Spider man on Jan 2, 2012 at 1:00 pm