Review by Martin Koenigsberg
Just finished my 95th Book Review of the Year!
Robert Lyman, a veteran and long-time historian of the later British Empire just a great full history of the entire Burma WWII story, so putting together a Campaign book for this struggle was right in his wheelhouse. He brings us a British Indian army fresh off its victories at Imphal and Kohima and looking to break back into Burma. Under the British General Slim, the army is reliant on masses of Allied vehicles and troops from the UK, India (then including Pakistan), both East and West Africa, and the USA- supported by British imperial and American air forces tactical and logistical. Lyman lays out the tactical and strategic parameters well- as well as the enormous challenges of Jungles and paddy fields without many roads. How do we get the Japanese out of Burma- and do it before the monsoon came and rains slowed air transport? The answer was simple in concept- but very difficult to carry out. The Japanese would get a sharp punch to the face (Northern Burma) – getting them to put their hands up (move reserves north) before kneeing them very hard in the groin (an assault on the Central Burmese supply depot at Meiktila ) carried out by a masked column traveling through the theoretically impassable country. It worked- and suddenly the Allies were behind the Japanese Army – using their superior firepower and air power to punish the enemy dearly. From there -mobility and air supremacy – Slim’s ability to drive or fly divisions past or around Japanese strong points- and then reduce them with overwhelming force in detail made the result obvious. The Japanese were reduced to trying to break out to the east- while the Allies coordinated a series of amphibious landings along the Burmese Coast. A complete victory made my father, who had served under MacArthur, see Slim as the best Allied General of the Entire war. The book is a good package on a campaign often overshadowed by the late-war American Pacific achievements. There are not a lot of adult themes, save politics, and not much graphic injury discussion, so this is a good book for a Junior Reader over about 11/12 years.
