384 JAPANESE CONQUEST OF BURMA 1942: The Advance to the Gates of India

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Narrates Burma Corps' epic 1942 fighting retreat northwards, carried out mostly in contact with the Japanese and across hundreds of miles of highly malarial and extremely difficult terrain, to safety in India. Among the battles covered are the disaster at the Sittang Bridge on 22 February 1942 (where 17th Indian Division was all but destroyed), the fall of Rangoon in March 1942, and the clashes at Yenangyaung, Monywa, and Shwegyin. The performance of the opposing commanders and forces is also examined, highlighting the success of Japan's aggressive light infantry tactics, which ruthlessly exploited the cover and concealment provided by the jungle to outflank, bypass, and encircle their bewildered enemy.