Kohima: Britain's Greatest Battle

[@tonipearson4164]

A. really great presentation = thank you.

[@russellmelling4098]

Great presentation.

[@John-ss6ip]

My father was in kohima,he spent his 21st birthday, 10th of may 1944,he never said a lot about it,not untill his later years ,and then not in any detail

[@HilaryLodge]

Kohima was not the first time the Japanese were defeated. This was at Milne Bay when they were defeated by Australian forces, a fact commented on by Slim

[@pauldavis3460]

Excellent lecture - thank you

[@edwardspencer3906]

My uncle was in the china theater during the War.. even as an American, he said that kohima/imphal was the "stalingrad" of that theater..I have always been impressed by the little I could find out.. it's Great to see what the Internet can do in a positive way!

[@wuffothewonderdog]

I would suggest that the battle fought by Smith-Dorrien at Le Cateau, which saved the BEF as it retreated from Mons, be considered because, while it did not end in a victory, it was a success in that it was the most difficult of military tasks - an orderly withdrawal against overwhelming superior forces. Smith-Dorrien acted calmly and correctly amid enormous and confused circumstances, leading me to believe that French and Haig's collusion in getting Smith-Dorrien sacked ensured that the butcher's bill for Britain in WW1 was far greater than it would have been had Smith-Dorrien had succeeded French as C-inC in 1915.

[@colinlambert882]

Kohima was also a defensive victory: a C20th siege of a small garrison, resupplied by air, involving some of the bitterest close quarter fighting or any war

[@diannegooding8733]

Turning point battle of the war, occurred before the war. Zhukov defeating the Japanese at Kahlkin Gol meant that unlike Hitler, Stalin only had to fight on one front making his task far easier!

[@Aubury]

The master soviet spy Richard Sorge, confirmed that Japan had no plans to attack the USSR. Allowing the counter attack in the Moscow region.

[@grahambarlow1308]

General ,SL:IM, Britain's greatest General (UNCLE BILL) to all his troops where ever they originated from be it India China America Britain Australia or the Gurkas from Nepal he was always Uncle Bill they would fight for and follow to kingdom come.

[@PAULCOX-bz7vp]

Hello, , it would be good to look at notes. My wife Grandad was there. but was asked to leave the British Army, joined the Idian Army. Was there during the battle, declared lost/ Walked out of the jungel with his Guka. We have his notes and drawings

[@StartledPancake]

Not sure that beating an enemy with of the about same size, with zero logistics, in a defensive battle could be considered a great victory. It utterly pales in comparison the Australians battles of Kokoda Track, 2 years earlier. The Australians beat both a well supplied Japanese army at the height of its powers, and won despite MacArthur being in charge and at the height of his idiocy.

[@garyjohnstone6422]

exactly

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@StartledPancake The British and Indians were outnumbered in the battle though, the Australians in Kokoda had around 30,000 men against 13,500 Japanese soldiers. Not downplaying the aussies here, just saying that the British had a lot worse odds with 2,000 troops against 15,000 Japanese at Kohima.

[@StartledPancake]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Good points, however the numbers ebbed and flowed, with 30000 being the total deployed. There were plenty of time the Australians were outnumbered but still won, and under much harsher conditions than the commonwealth forces were under here. Im a Brit but find the downplaying of the commonwealth contributing to the war effort pretty grating. Its really in evidence here (at least as far as the title goes)

[@johnlucas8479]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Interesting according to Wikipedia Impal - Kohima British losses were 12,603 vs Japanese 54,879 Kohima British start with 1 Brigade ended with 2 Division and 2 brigades with losses of 4,064 vs Japanese 15-20 K losses of 5,764 to 7,000 Kokoda Initial Japanese force was 6,000 vs Australian 39th battalion (1,000 men)

[@joealp8196]

I dislike his declarative statements which are only arguable at best. His narrative is informative enough without such opinionated assertions.

[@stephenchappell7512]

India's too How about a little appreciation for their forebears from today's Indians

[@andylyon3867]

The argument presented here convinces me that this battle/campaign was a doomed from the start battle of the bulge sort of event. Great battle? his own argument goes against that.

[@frankanderson5012]

Clearly you don’t have an understanding of the Burma campaign, these battles or the comparisons of the battle of the bulge. Also your statement is derogatory and an insult to those Indian/British troops who fought and died there. I suggest you do your research as it shows an appalling ignorance.