How the Japanese Took Burma and Threatened India - Pacific War

Join WoWs: Legends now and get a welcome bonus and Star Trek Commander for free: wowsl.co/4czxQVI
Kings and Generals' historical animated documentary series covering the Pacific War continues with a video on the early Japanese success during the Burma-India campaign of 1942-1943, as we cover the battles of the Fall of Rangoon, Stilwell's command, First Arakan campaign and the Chindits penetration.
What Happened After Guadalcanal?: • What Happened After Gu...
From Pearl Harbor to Midway: How America Turned the Tables: • From Pearl Harbor to M...
Philippines Campaign: • Philippines Campaign F...
Malaya Campaign: • Malaya Campaign FULL D...
Guadalcanal Campaign: • Guadalcanal Campaign F...
Japanese Invasion of Alaska: • Japanese Invasion of A...
Support us on Patreon: / kingsandgenerals or Paypal: paypal.me/kings... or by joining the youtube membership: / @kingsandgenerals
Video: Zakuan Musa / @vectorhistoria7767
Script: Ivan Moran, Craig Watson bit.ly/3UgWAbt
VO: Devin bit.ly/3XzSCgV & bit.ly/3GUO9iT
✔ Merch store ► teespring.com/...
✔ Patreon ► / kingsandgenerals
✔ Podcast ► www.kingsandgen...
✔ PayPal ► paypal.me/kings...
✔ Twitter ► / kingsgenerals
✔ Facebook ► / kingsgenerals
✔ Instagram ► / kings_generals
Production Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicsou...
#Documentary #PacificWar #India

[@KingsandGenerals]

Join WoWs: Legends now and get a welcome bonus and Star Trek Commander for free: wowsl.co/4czxQVI

[@markanthonymianacyberworld420]

❤

[@Enlisted_AxisMain]

please do Stalingrad!..

[@Arnurion_ITA]

The series about the Pacific War is one of the best in this channel. Even though I prefer classic and medieval history, this is one is amazingly well done.

[@abdullahaltafg]

My Great Granfather fought in Burma in the Indian Army. The only story I know about him was through my father. He told me that when Japanesse were advancing, the British regiment commander left the army leaderless and left them to their fate. He barely escaped Japanesse atrocities by hiding in the Jungle for many days with deadly reptiles.

[@ogasontop]

basically one invader taking over from another invader

[@abdullahaltafg]

@@ogasontop kind of but Burma was reconquered by the British again. So its the same invader.

[@powerist209]

Yeah, I remembered that most of the fighting unit until counteroffensive being Chinese soldiers diverted there as I remember. At least from dad and mom account of their families plus Grand Pa on dad side before he passed away. Dad side having to survive in Bago but mom side fleeing to Northern Myanmar where they met Chinese refugees and soldiers (mom’s dad volunteered after war began when he was studying in China.)

[@abhilash9918]

Just read about these British commanders a day ago on twitter. I don't remember their names but those 2 officers ran away and later got awarded medals lmao.

[@dewsjoy9839]

My maternal grandfather served in this campaign, he passed away 25 years ago. I never got a chance to hear history from him.All I knew as a child was he served in the army when British empire operated in India from my parents and that he was medically discharged due to pneumonia.I wouldn't have known anything other than that had it not been for a copy of pension document that I retrieved from my uncle about 5 years ago. The document itself is torn and print on it is faded at many places. I wish I could restore that to read all details on it. Some information that I could decipher includes campaign served: Burma, enrollment date Feb 1943 discharge date Apr 1946, something something then a name ' T' Smith Group D Class iv Station: Rourkee

[@rathisamar]

It's Roorkee(near haridwar) as it is Bengal sappers HQ so go there and find the details.

[@adhirbose9910]

Rourkee is a town in India.

[@subdivisiondimapur-zi9gk]

Pls visit Nagaland Kohima....iam from Nagaland

[@user-es5gx2di7h]

Go to Kew Archives?

[@swapnilchitte8247]

I live in roorkee

[@twahatashfia6075]

My Granduncle was at the Eastern front and sent to Burma. However, after the war when he came back, he got awfully quiet where he was always joyful before and didn't want to share anything about his war experience. He became sick and died in 1947, just before India was partitioned. Only now we realize he might have had severe trauma from the fighting. May he rest in peace.

[@polaris30000]

My grandfather was in Burma. Brought back some trophies and some, shall we say, stories of adventures generally frowned upon in Geneva.

[@macgordonaberese-ako4587]

My maternal grand uncle corporal Adombire was in the thick of it. Later their cousin joined around 1944 and the pellet lodged in his head was never moved. Abolga Akasigre. Even after his return, he was belligerent always looking for fights .

[@Sgtklark]

Thanks!

[@arnold118-b1w]

great video! If people are interested in learning specifically why the British constantly failed to gain success against the Japanese then Tim Moreman's book "The Jungle, The Japanese And British Commonwealth Armies At War" is great, focusing on doctrine and training issues from the Malaya campaign to the 44/45 Burma campaign.

[@anandapespi]

I am a Burmese but my great grandpa was a British military engineer... It is interesting to watch this video as i am living through his experience 💕

[@sithuhan4341]

Thanks Been learning my country's history from K&G , commented from Rangoon.

[@marcbartuschka6372]

A very good overview about a often overlooked topic (at least in the west). The Pacific-War (as the African Campaign) has the benefit, that it was fought (at least outside China) with smalleer numbers than lets say the Eastern Front, so that the format a weekly videos could cover the story in depth. You did a good job here.

[@softtempo]

Love what you guys do. Thanks so much for producing great informative content!

[@hnpth3812]

As a Burmese person, I'm very impressed by how well this channel pronounced Burmese names

[@AliPasha1971-d6r]

My maternal Grandfather fought on the Burma front for the British Indian army and was wounded there.He was awarded for his bravery.He migrated to Pakistan in 1947and joined the Pakistani army as most Muslims did at that time. He passed away in 1979 .

[@kartikey8068]

He was from which state in India?

[@AliPasha1971-d6r]

@@kartikey8068 ,Currently East Punjab in India.

[@parrot849]

He must’ve been a very brave soldier, I’m sure you’re proud of him too….

[@KHK001]

Love this series! thanks KnG!

[@philo_of_alexan]

This is a great channel. Thank you for your work 🎉

[@chukwumaezenwa4480]

Being a Nigerian, my interest in WW2 arose due to the fact that nearly every Nigerian family had someone who fought in Agha Burma(literally Burma War) as well as the East African Campaign. Infact, two of the Nigerian military formations are named after the 81st and 82nd West African Division which were both part of Slim's Fourteenth Army. The country is also full of military barracks reminiscent of the Burmese campaign- Letmauk barracks, Chindit barracks e.t.c. Interestingly, Slim was aghast that his Fourteenth Army was never properly commended or appreciated for their efforts in South-east Asia, hence their appellation the Forgotten Army. However, he was equally guilty of never properly commending the more than 100,000 soldiers from the British colonies in East and West Africa. If the Fourteenth Army was the "Forgotten Army", the African contingent is the "Forgotten Army of the Forgotten Army."

[@PricedDoughnut]

I didn't know anything about these campaigns prior to this video. Fascinating stuff! Thanks for the great level and detail put into these videos it's great.

[@jacobjohnson6805]

Love this channel.

[@hoyer]

Finaly. Feels like i have been waiting years for this episode to finally drop.

[@mitchelnorton2692]

Love the long form videos.

[@emperoroak7331]

As a Burmese, what can I say is whoa

[@johnpauljones4190]

Guys! I like this video! Good work! Keep up! The Burma campaign is a forgotten one!!

[@nathang5630]

Your videos are the best on KZbin. I'm excited every time I see you have a new one!

[@ArthurHenrique-hl9vr]

Great video! Thanks for producing such kind of material.

[@mutteringmale]

This is the best vid I've ever seen on a WWII theater war. And also, thanks for getting rid of those annoying swishes, swopes, popping noises and constant irritating back ground noises!

[@robertobustios9485]

i like this series very much. can you guys do a long video on the dutch east indies campaign?

[@KingsandGenerals]

@@robertobustios9485 we will

[@Meat-Bun]

@@KingsandGenerals Besides the Dutch East Indies campaign, are you going to do long videos on the 1931-1945 Sino-Japanese War and the New Guinea Campaign ?

[@KingsandGenerals]

@@Meat-Bun yes on the second, maybe on the first

[@krasnamerah1926]

@@KingsandGenerals, better to include the 1939-1942 political climate in the East Indies. It's a very much forgotten in the Indonesian history despite being rather important in WW2.

[@laars2233]

yup I'm saving this one. 2 hours and 34 minutes. Ill have something to watch for the next couple days.

[@grahamparkin5568]

Enjoyed the show, well done. My father was part of the brigade reinforcements (1st battalion West Yorks ) sent down from India, they where involved in the fighting starting from Pegu and all the way back to India Suspect he would be slightly disappointed with the word retreat often used in this video, his word for this part of the operation was always the withdrawal

[@camiloclarkson1122]

wow another high quality video! Though at 2hrs 34mins, maybe ask snack companies for sponsorship! :)

[@emiliovn8687]

This Chanel is the best when it comes to WW 2 history. I just have one question when the video says KZbin member exclusively does that mean that the video will forever be member exclusive or will the members just have early aces to them before the general public gets them? I tried to figure it out but couldn’t find an answer anywhere. Could someone please help me?

[@KingsandGenerals]

Thanks! Likely forever.

[@Kaito_naga]

Thank you very much for investing your time and energy for this informative video ❤

[@loganmaddocks4703]

Awesome content as always. Didnt you used to have a lingform video on the invasion of Crete? I cant seem to find it...

[@KingsandGenerals]

Battle of Greece video

[@loganmaddocks4703]

@@KingsandGenerals Rodger that. Was it a separate video at one point or am I fabricating that memory??

[@KingsandGenerals]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWipmmqArqafg9U

[@loganmaddocks4703]

@@KingsandGenerals big ups fam. Thanks! You guys are the best!

[@admiralprinceeric323]

I want for 1943-44 Pacific Wars videos so far to watch it yet for long???

[@KingsandGenerals]

at some point

[@xiaozhouzhou4619]

During the Battle of Tonggu, General Dai Anlan, the commander of the 200th Division of China, said that if he died in battle, the deputy division commander would take his place, and if the deputy division commander died, the chief of staff would take his place, and if the chief of staff died, a regimental commander would take his place and continue to command the battle. The 200th Division was really brave to hold out for more than 20 days in isolation and without any help.

[@avocadoarmadillo7031]

Wingate is such a character. Lions Led by Donkeys has a great multi-part series on him

[@CrimsonAlchemist]

My grandfather was trained by the Japanese along with the first batches of the newly formed Burmese army. He fought the British, but later in March 1945 the Burmese switched sides and he fought the Japanese. He won many medals throughout the 1950s and 60s retired in the 70s.

[@Drogmir]

My grandfather who just passed away used to tell me stories of living in the jungles of Burma with his father as displaced Thais who fled, apparently they would serve as like local pathfinders for the British and would be paid in like scrip vouchers for redemption after the war. And apparently when they tried to cash it in after the war ended the British gov told them all the scrip was invalid. But they did move back to Thailand after the war ended and did very well for themselves so it's not all bad. But my grandfather def said the British were untrustworthy as a result, but they weren't "evil" like his experience with the Japanese.

[@meenumann8423]

Love the content Can you please make more content related india

[@sambitts1982]

My grandmother left molmein on road to rangoon by bullock cart after the 1st bombing started..left burma to Calcutta on the last passenger ship..before shipping lines closed..during ww2..my grandfather working as in british administration at molmein left on foot and reached India after 2 months on road

[@Tarathiel123]

always love to see the long form content!

[@Persona_X-j8g]

Hi guys I just want to ask. Will some member exclusive videos become free in a few years time?

[@KingsandGenerals]

Don't know

[@fazilzuzaini-k8p]

To be honest if this was a game it would be hell of a game

[@UriahVoltaire]

Lordhardthrasher has a terrific seriese about the burma war

[@nastro24]

Well, here, as a burmese, I can say very little people knows what happened from the ww2 perspective. From the perspective of the movement of the independence of Burma, Around 1938, the secretary of burma communist party, Thakhin Aung San, later known as a leading figure of burma independence and idea of socialism through liberty and leader of Anti-Facists organization in 1945, left to Hainan to meet with General Suzuki, inviting Japanese armed forces to liberate Burma (a little bit irony as a leader of communist party inviting Japan as their ally) , but later Japanese had another idea to deal with burma, to form a puppet government for lower resistance to their actions as looting, seizing resources. Later, Aung San and his fellow officers co-operated with the offensive in Burma, recolonization of Burma begin but the fierce civil resistance and global de colonization aura promises the independence of Burma in 1947 and gained in 1948. 7 most disastrous years of Rangoon

[@williamtell5365]

It's a vast overstatement to say the Japanese almost took India.

[@kartikey8068]

They could have taken the North East part of India (and they did take) which is very hilly and similar to Burma

[@WickedMainahbub]

They could have easily taken it but it wouldn't have accomplished much. They had already cut China off from the West which was their entire objective in taking Burma.

[@Timmey29293]

@@WickedMainahbubbattle of imphal and further battles destroyed any chance of Japan taking India

[@jayfelsberg1931]

1:22:10 - So they split their forces in two sides of a river against the Japanese....uh, OK

[@theserb102]

WOOOOOO LETS GOOOOO

[@shutup972]

Excellent

[@souravjaiswal-jr4bj]

Indians said no, we want Harry Potter not Anime.

[@WickedMainahbub]

Kings and generals Pacific war series and epic history Napoleon series. The two greatest military history campaign documentaries ever created.

[@KingsandGenerals]

Thanks!

[@kawaiku]

Really hope you do a similar video encompassing all of the foghting China did during the war. Seeing that Thailand and China foghting is wild. I had no idea this part of the war happened.

[@macgordonaberese-ako4587]

My grand uncle on my mother's side rose to corporal Adombire Ahiyna in Burma. He described the janapes like ticks that you could not see because of their small size. That one Japanese can hide in a tree and pin down a whole regiment. He was going to die but will take as many West African Frontier forces with them.

[@chadst0r]

interesting video although i have read and watch a few documentaries around uncle bill or william slim. although i dont see much of him in this story, from my understanding he was comanding with retreat nof the forces from burma?

[@paulpaterson1661]

Why are you not making a video about the British and Indian reconquest of Burma?

[@pyaehtetaung]

K&G, can you made video about current Myanmar civil war (2021 - present).?

[@ludwigstraube3325]

Cool

[@noahboss80]

It was my great uncle who fought in Burma for the British during which he was awarded the DSO when his camp or position I think was over run by Japanese they held on by fighting hand to hand with their knives, he survived the war however I never got to meet him as he passed far before I was around, his nickname was bunny and supposedly quite a character my dad says that his pipe was almost always glued to his lips

[@angamtholung4245]

I supposed this was the reason in 1943 my village Lamkang Khunou ( also a British outpost camp) just 60 miles away from Tamu ( Burma town ) that my villager where shifted in trucks for shelter to capital city Imphal ( Manipur ) as Japanese troops closes in from East of my Village (as told by my Late Grandfather 15-17 yrs old during WW2)

[@alexius23]

I have read some Indian history written by Indian scholars. These authors talked of the Raj in the 1930’s. They spoke of a sense of inevitable change upon the horizon. It was not certain exactly what that change would actually be. In the 1945 General Election Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. He was willing to consider Indian Independence. He sent Lord Mountbatten to negotiate. I also know Winston Churchill was against the idea of Indian independence. I have wondered how things would have played out if Churchill had won the 1945 election.

[@Kili2807]

Nice

[@muhammadumair1901]

If Britain knows that they have to leave India , will they defend those lands against Japan or not?

[@NotthefirstJnardmsadly]

Yeah, probably since they don't want India to fall under Japan's sphere of influence, but I dont think they would be as invested in her defense as much

[@shenghan9385]

Of course the British would just like the reason it started the war and stayed in the war against Nazi Germany over Poland.

[@WickedMainahbub]

Shit it was mostly Indian divisions that did most of the fighting anyway

[@CamRHYM3S]

Is it just me or does this also have an issue with being zoomed in? I know the recent weekly Pacific War was for like 5 minutes.

[@CamRHYM3S]

Maybe just the intro?

[@KingsandGenerals]

I don't see it. Which portion?

[@althisspencer]

@@KingsandGenerals I think he means "Kings and Generals present" and all the campaign names at the beginning

[@CamRHYM3S]

@@KingsandGenerals I think it’s the just cut off text from “Kings and Generals presents” at the beginning of the intro to the left and “Arakan Campaign” (which looks like it’s spelled Larakan?) at the end of the intro at the bottom. But maybe it’s just me! I don’t meant to nitpick and criticize, huge fan of the series especially these longer format videos!

[@loremastertimmy4048]

even though japan is the "bad guy" of this conflict, i always feel a little sadness when i hear about the infamous kido butai and those carriers, especially knowing the ultimate fate of this amazing and powerful force, like watching a dead relative in old home videos when they were in their prime

[@grapeshott]

This is 2.5 hours?

[@Alec.40]

Roughly 2 hours, 34 min and 36 seconds

[@whistleblower7718]

This is battle where gurkha got their heroic tales.

[@Timmey29293]

Overrated tbf but defo warriors

[@aungkhant4289]

if it is ok, pls make a video of Myanmar current civil war

[@mts-sultan6209]

In South Asia we tend to see those who fought against the British as heroes. It is the same for all Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. For example Shubhash Chandra Basu is seen as the hero of the Bengalies and national hero of India, was respected by both many members of Congress and Muslim League.

[@HWDragonborn]

That's because South Asia was never under Japanese occupation. If Japan occupied India, the Indians' feelings toward Japan would be quite different.

[@DDG_IN47]

@@HWDragonbornBoth Britain and the Japs were cruel

[@adhirbose9910]

It's Bose. Not Basu.

[@adhirbose9910]

​@@HWDragonborntrue .

[@mts-sultan6209]

@@adhirbose9910 in Bengali বসু(Bashu)। In English Bose.

[@danieljournell2903]

Dope

[@jamesjavellana5]

The video is about the Burma - India Campaign of 1942. I’m just curious on why is there a US Soldier / Marine or a US military outfit in the thumbnail poster of this video? There were few US military personnel in Burma in 1942. Judging from the style of his helmet he is using I guess it’s from the 1943 - 1944 time period. The same battle outfit that US Marines wore during the battles of Tarawa or Saipan.

[@KingsandGenerals]

Good point

[@Meat-Bun]

It is weird to show the 1943-1944 American military personnel on the thumbnail of this video which is about Burma from December 1941 to Summer 1943 while there are few American military personnel involved in Burma while the Chinese nationalists didn't appear on the thumbnail despite the Chinese nationalists outnumbering the American forces in Burma during World War II.

[@randywarren7101]

I wish you putting these videos would stop forcing people to pay to view them after , I believe the 88th week. The last weekly video I was able to watch was in the Central Solomons campaign. I am a historian at heart with an interest in Word War 2 Pacific operations and not being able to afford to see any more content is like seeing the first Star Wars film and not affording to see any others!

[@KingsandGenerals]

You have to pay to see a Star Wars film.

[@Blightagaa]

88 weeks of free content isn't enough for you?

[@crumblingmasonry8961]

Praise be to the algorithm.

[@luisoliverassantiago4603]

I love your video

[@wintkyaw7576]

Read Slim's ' Defeat into Victory'.

[@CornOnTheCobb1994]

Dude lift the membership only on vid so ppl can watch them without u forcing them to pay

[@kartikey8068]

He has spent 100 hours making, he needs some form of monetization since KZbin payout is shit and unpredictable

[@windy9903]

JAI HIND TO ALL INA SOLDIERS WHO HAD DIED!!! YOU HELPED IN INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE

[@Stallion-EC]

Why not watch it again

[@markanthonymianacyberworld420]

Wow ❤ 😲

[@lafeelabriel]

No offense guys, but saying "Almost India" is frankly clickbait. The Japanese had never the troops available to invade India, especially not in the period this video covers. And no real plans to try either while we're at it.

[@KingsandGenerals]

None taken. We discussed various internal issues in India that made the situation very tenuous for the British.

[@BarlasofIndus]

​@@KingsandGenerals understandable

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

KZbin is constantly deleting my comments wtf

[@oxydoxxo]

It's election season, google can't have people out here thinking and talking for themselves.

[@joshuazarate9780]

Some of mine that are deleted I think "yeah, fair enough, too spicy." Others, I am in the same boat, wtf, what was controversial there?

[@RTXti-ez6ye]

I was banned 1 day for saying us college students supporting hamas were uneducated. ​@@joshuazarate9780

[@scottmarquardt3575]

Stop talking ship about white guys

[@Zenith121691]

You dare question the unfathomable decision of our AI overlord!?

[@sorarentrip9457]

They(British and Japanese) had to die in battle of Kohima and Imphal which was hell for both armies. Apparently India wasn't touched by WW2 at all except for this present NE India region.

[@amaduck2132]

Multiple regions of calcutta was bombed by the japanese. Also there was a possibility of a naval invasion by the japanese in ceylon in the earlier days of the war...

[@wintkyaw7576]

As a military history teacher the Japanese Army's strategy and tectics are outstanding and much better than British in occupying Asia during that time.

[@BawiRoThang-r6v]

With the help of BIA and Azad Hind

[@anananwar6073]

6:11 1:02:50 1:26:00

[@-JA-]

🙂👍

[@NgarKua]

The Burma Independence Army (BIA) was formed in December 1941 in Bangkok not when Japanese got into Burma.

[@Christopher-xn6rb]

This was depressing to listen to. From the fall of Singapore to Burma, the weak, inept and incompetent leadership of the British was highlighted. No wonder the Chinese and later the Indian forces lacked the resolve to fight alongside the British. Churchill should have simply put the Gurkhas in charge of the entire theatre of operations.

[@tonyjohn2788]

There is a correction. Japanese never threatened Indians, instead they threatened Britishers in India. They were friendly with Indians then and now.

[@poodledoodle2416]

Stop talking out of your ass, Japanese used Indian POWs as target practice and even cooked them alive as food.

[@ftwcrazyman]

>"never threatened" >used thousands of them for forced labor to their deaths 🤔 How kind of them

[@WickedMainahbub]

Let me get this straight the Chindits under Wingate crossed the CHINDWIN river to start their campaign?... LOL

[@GIBunz]

burma famine also caused by trade ceasing on the river, after Britain banned locals from using boats on the river and the area was also mostly muslim

[@some_dude2218]

1:02:54

[@rashedhaque5570]

My grandfather served in burma

[@Timmey29293]

To the brave Pakistanis who lay down their lives in the British raj and are now their sacrifices forgotten.

[@bestofluckwithme..9885]

The atrocity you talk about was done by the fellow British on Indians

[@gagamba9198]

Can't take China, but the IJA 'almost took' India as well. Get a grip of yourselves.

[@ftwcrazyman]

China had a strict military regime in control of society. India at that time had nationalists rioting enough to recall British troops from the front and endangering the Burma campaign. Big difference

[@ramal5708]

Burma, The part of the Pacific War that didn't take place in the Pacific, probably the Indian Ocean, but the series should be called the War in Asia. It was the British attempt to appear that they also did stuff against the Japanese in the Pacific, granted hands down the Indian Ocean theatre was mostly a British effort against both Japan and German assets that tried to go through the Indian Ocean.

[@tremainetreerat5176]

I'm going to assume that the narrator's pronunciation of the name "Wavell" as though it were the delicious, notoriously equivocating, breakfast entrée (e.g., "General Archibald waffle") was anything but coincidental. Lol

[@carlking3979]

Churchill rarely ever made a good military decision.

[@wolfishere3027]

Lots of burmese people died fighting two invaders.First it was British and then Japan.

[@edwinblair4704]

Comment, Like and Share. Don't forget