



Invasion of Burma

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseBurma, isolated from the rest of the world with mountainous ranges on her western, northern, and eastern borders, was a British colony with a degree of autonomy. With the pressure from Japan, British armed Burma with some British and Indian troops and obsolete aircraft so that there would be a small buffer between Japan and India, crown jewel of Britain's Asiatic empire. United States also aimed to help Burma as a direct result of Japanese pressure, but the reason was much different than that of the British; the United States looked to maintain Burmese outside Japanese control so that supply lines into China would remain open. The supplies traveled into China via the Burma Road, a treacherous gravel road that connected Kunming, China with Lashio, Burma that opened in 1938. Britain and United States' worries about Burma were not unfounded, as Japan did look to incorporate Burma into her borders. Beyond the wish to cut off China's supply lines, a Japanese-occupied Burma would also provide Japan added security from any potential flanking strikes from the west against the southward expansion that was about to take place.

ww2dbaseThe Invasion Began

11 Dec 1941

ww2dbaseOn 11 Dec 1941, only days after Japan's declaration of war against Britain, Japanese aircraft struck airfields at Tavoy, south of Rangoon. On the next day, small units of Japanese troops infiltrated into Brumese borders and engaged in skirmishes against British and Burmese troops. On the same day, a Flying Tigers squadron transferred from China to Rangoon to reinforce against the upcoming invasion.

ww2dbaseUnder the banner of liberating Burma from western imperialism, the Japanese 15th Army of the Southern Expeditionary Army under the command of Shojiro Iida marched across the border in force from Siam. Airfields at Tavoy and Mergui fell quickly, removing the whatever little threat the obsolete British aircraft posed and preventing Allied reinforcements from the air.

ww2dbaseTulsa Incident

16 Dec 1941

ww2dbaseAs the invasion had gotten underway, the United States recognized that she must assist British troops in the region. Brigadier General John Magruder, head of the American Military Mission to China, approached Chinese leader Chiang Kaishek for his permission to transfer ammunition aboard the transport Tulsa, currently docked in Rangoon, to the British troops. The goods were originally destined for the Chinese, but Magruder, arguing on behalf of Washington, expressed that the British troops be given priority or the Burma Road might fall under Japanese control, therefore making future supply runs impossible. Before Chiang responded, however, senior American officer in Rangoon Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Twitty advised the government in Rangoon to impound the American ship, while maintaining United States' innocent front. Chiang protested fiercely, noting it as an "illegal confistication". Chiang's representative in Rangoon, General Yu Feipeng, attempted to negotiate for a compromise, but Chiang's attitude was more drastic. On 25 Dec, Chiang announced that he would allow all lend-lease supplies to go to the British in Burma, but all Chinese troops in Burma would be withdrew back into China, and the British-Chinese alliance was to end. For days, Magruder worked with Chiang, and was finally able to secure Chiang's agreement to share the supplies with the British, but as a compromise, Magruder also had to give in to Chiang's demands that Twitty be removed from his position.

ww2dbaseThis incident, later labeled as the Tulsa Incident, exemplified the difficulties that Chiang's stern personality imposed on the relationship between China, Britain, and the United States.

ww2dbaseThe Battle of Sittang Bridge

22-31 Jan 1942

ww2dbaseIn Jan and Feb 1942, the Indian 17th Division under the command of British Major General John Smyth fought a campaign to slow the Japanese advance near the Sittang River. The Japanese 55th Division attacked from Rahaeng, Siam across the Kawkareik Pass on 22 Jan 1942, and over the next nine days pushed the Smyth's troops to the Sittang Bridge, where they were enveloped and crushed. "The Allied defense was a disaster", said military historian Nathan Prefer. "Two understrength Japanese infantry divisions, the 33d and 55th, enjoyed victory after victory over Indian, British, and Burmese troops who were undertrained, inadequately prepared for jungle warfare, and completely dependent upon motor transport for all supply."

ww2dbaseThe Battle of Rangoon

Mar 1942

ww2dbaseRangoon was first attacked first by air; the few Royal Air Force and American Flying Tigers aircraft defended its air space effectively initially, but their numbers waned under constant pressure. Japanese troops appeared at Rangoon's doorsteps toward the end of Feb 1942. Magruder gathered all the trucks he could to send as much lend-lease supplies north into China as possible, and whatever could not be shipped out be given to the British, which included 300 Bren guns, 3 million rounds of ammunition, 1,000 machine guns with 180,000 rounds of ammunition, 260 jeeps, 683 trucks, and 100 field telephones. Nevertheless, he was still forced to destroy more than 900 trucks, 5,000 tires, 1,000 blankets and sheets, and more than a ton of miscellaneous items, all to prevent Japanese capture.

ww2dbaseAs Japanese troops approached Rangoon, two Chinese Armies, the 5th and the 6th, marched south from China on 1 Mar 1942 to assist. The Chinese armies totalled six divisions, though half of them were understrength and most men of the 6th Army were undertrained green soldiers. Cooperation between the Chinese and the British were poor, though the Chinese regarded Americans such as General Joseph Stilwell in the Chinese temporary war time capital of Chongqing rather highly.

ww2dbaseOutside Rangoon, the British 7th Armored Brigade attempted to counterattack the Japanese troops marching from the direction of the Sittang River, but failed. On 6 Mar, Japanese troops reached the city, and the final evacuation order was given by British officers on the next day. Retreating troops demolished the port facilities to prevent Japanese use. Whatever aircraft remained of the RAF and the Flying Tigers relocated to Magwe in the Irrawaddy Valley south of Mandalay.

ww2dbaseBattle of Tachiao

18 Mar 1942

ww2dbaseOn 8 Mar 1942, the 200th Division of the Chinese 5th Army began arriving in Taungoo, Burma to take over defense positions from the British. At dawn on 18 Mar, about 200 Japanese reconnaissance troops of 143rd Regiment of Japanese 55th Division, on motorcycles, reached a bridge near Pyu and were ambushed by the Chinese; 30 Japanese were killed, and the Chinese captured 20 rifles, 2 light machine guns, and 19 motorcycles. After sundown, expecting a Japanese counterattack, the Chinese fell back to Oktwin a few kilometers to the south. Pyu was captured by the Japanese on the following day.

ww2dbaseBattle of Oktwin

20-23 Mar 1942

ww2dbaseThe Japanese 143rd Regiment and a cavalry formation of the Japanese 55th Division attacked defensive positions north of the Kan River in Burma manned by troops of the Cavalry Regiment of the Chinese 5th Army. The Chinese fell back toward Oktwin. At dawn on 22 Mar, 122nd Regiment of the Japanese 55th Division attacked outposts manned by a battalion of the Chinese 200th Division, but made little progress. After two days of heavy fighting, the Chinese fell back toward Taungoo, Burma after nightfall on 23 Mar.

ww2dbaseBattle of Taungoo

24-30 Mar 1942

ww2dbaseTaungoo, an important crossroads city in central Burma, housed the headquarters of Major General Dai Anlan's Chinese 200th Division. The city was attacked by the Japanese 112th Regiment on 24 Mar, quickly surrounding the city on three sides. At 0800 hours on 25 Mar, the main offensive was launched on the city, attempting to push the Chinese defense toward the Sittang River. The Chinese held on to their positions, forcing the Japanese to engage in brutal house-to-house fighting, which took away the Japanese firepower superiority. A counteroffensive launched by the Chinese at 2200 hours, however, failed to regain lost territory. On the next day, the Japanese also failed to penetrate Chinese lines, and later in the day the Chinese, too, repeated the previous day's performance with a failed counterattack which suffered heavy casualties. On 27 and 28 Mar, Japanese aircraft and artillery bombarded the Chinese positions to pave way for an attack by the newly arrived Reconnaissance Regiment of the Japanese 56th Division. On the following day, the Japanese penetrated into the northwestern section of the city in the morning, and by noon the headquarters of the Chinese 200th Division was seriously threatened. In the afternoon, Dai gave the order to retreat after nightfall. The Chinese 200th Division established a new defensive position at Yedashe to the north, joined by the New 22nd Division. Japanese troops would attack this new position on 5 Apr and overcome it by 8 Apr.

ww2dbaseBattle of Yenangyaung

11-19 Apr 1942



ww2dbaseOn 11 Apr, Japanese 33rd Division attacked the Indian 48th Brigade at the oil fields at Yenangyaung, using captured British tanks to support the assault. The situation at first waved back and forth, then General William Slim's two divisions who arrived in response became cut off, leading to British General Harold Alexander requesting American Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell in China for reinforcements to the Yenangyaung region. On 16 Apr, nearly 7,000 British troops were encircled by equal number of Japanese troops. General Sun Liren arrived with the 113th Regiment of the Chinese 38th Division, 1,121-strong, on 17 Apr. Sun arrived without artillery or tank support, but that deficiency was quickly augmented by the acquisition of Brigadier Anstice's British 7th Armored Brigade. The Chinese attacked southward, while Major General Bruce Scott led the British 1st Burma Division against Pin Chaung. On 19 Apr, the Chinese 38th Division took control of Twingon outside of Yenangyaung, then moved into Yenangyaung itself, but even with the arrival of the 1st Burma Division at Yenangyaung the position could not be defended. The Allied forces withdrew 40 miles to the north. Although Yenangyaung still fell under Japanese control at the end, nearly 7,000 British troops were saved from capture or destruction.

ww2dbaseThe British Withdraw

7 Mar-26 May 1942

ww2dbaseGeneral Alexander and Slim led the remaining forces north through the jungles toward Mandalay, slowing down the Japanese as much as they could. Supply became a critical issue after the fall of Rangoon and its port facilities. In Tokyo, it was decided that Burma was to be rid of all Allied troops. An additional regiment was assigned as reinforcement to the Japanese 33rd Division to bring it up to full strength. Soon after, two additional infantry divisions, the 18th and 56th, arrived in the theater, further bolstering Japanese numbers. The reinforcements arrived to the area undetected by Allied intelligence. Fresh Japanese troops moved north in three separate columns, one through the Irrawaddy Valley, another along the Rangoon-Mandalay Road in the Sittang Valley, and the third marched from Taunggyi in the east for Lashio. Chinese troops attempted to delay Japanese advances but failed; most of them fell back across the Chinese border almost immediately.

ww2dbaseAlexander and Slim successfully retreated across the Indian border on 26 May 1942. Along the way, they destroyed precious oilfields so that they could not be used by the Japanese. As the British crossed into India, Japanese forces captured the entire country of Burma, including the important airfields in Myitkyina near the Chinese border.

ww2dbaseComfort Women

ww2dbaseSome time during the conquest of Burma, the Japanese set up a comfort women system similar to the systems seen in Korea and China. When the combined American and Chinese forces later retook Myitkyina in Aug 1944, 3,200 women were known to be retreating with the retreating Japanese forces. 2,800 of the women were Koreans who were forced to be relocated from their home country to serve the Japanese troops as prostitutes, but there were also many Burmese women who volunteered in the belief that the Japanese were there to liberate their country from western imperialism. Some Chinese women were seen in the ranks as well. The goal of such a system was to prevent the Japanese soldiers from raping Burmese women, and to prevent the spreading of venereal diseases.

ww2dbaseConclusion of the Campaign

ww2dbase"I claim we got a hell of a beating", recalled Stilwell. "We got run out of Burma and it is embarrassing as hell." With Burma under Japanese control, the blockade on China was complete, but that was but a symptom of the real underlying issue: the conflicting goals of the three Allied nations involved in Burma. To Britain, Burma was nothing but a buffer between Japanese troops and India. To China, Burma was a sideshow of the Second Sino-Japanese War, though important in that it provided an important supply line. To the United States, Burma was the key to keep China fighting in order to tie down the countless number of Japanese soldiers in China so that they could not be re-deployed in the South Pacific. Meanwhile, caught between the politics of the three Allied nations and the Japanese invader, the Burmese people found that none of the warring powers willing to listen to their sentiments.

ww2dbaseSources: BBC, the Pacific Campaign, Vinegar Joe's War, US Army Center of Military History, Wikipedia.

Last Major Update: Oct 2006

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