When the Burma campaign
is discussed, the turning point battles of Imphal and Kohima are most often
thought of. However General Bill Slim’s bold but risky plan to outflank the
Japanese on the Irrawaddy at Mandalay deserves far more
credit.
With the Japanese withdrawing, Slim’s Fourteenth Army (with two Corps
– XXXIII and IV) risked a punishing crossing of the mighty Irrawaddy at
Mandalay opposed
by the main Japanese army. To avoid this is was decided to split Fourteenth Army
and send IV Corps on an arduous 300 mile march to seize the town of Meiktila, 85
miles south, a vital rail and road hub and the main Japanese administrative
base.
Complete secrecy was essential as if the Japanese realised they faced
only one Corps rather than two, they might have counter attacked
successfully.
In this detailed analysis of this crucial manoeuvre the author
describes the plan, the risks, the actions, the seemingly insuperable logistic
problems, and the efforts to retain US air support (for which Mountbatten
was largely responsible).
