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END GAME BURMA Slim’s Masterstroke at Meiktila

Name: END GAME BURMA Slim’s Masterstroke at Meiktila
SKU: 24741-1
Price: 5.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

Original price was: £14.99.Current price is: £5.99.

The author argues that it was not the famous battles of Imphal and Kohima that decided the Burma campaign in WW2, but Gen. Bill Slim’s decisive seizure of Meiktila, a vital transport hub and the Japanese army’s main administrative base. Michael Pearson describes the daring manoeuvre that may have won the war in Burma.

In stock

Description

When the Burma campaign of WW2 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 at least as much credit.
With the Japanese withdrawing, Slim’s 14 Army (with two Corps – XXXIII and IV) risked a punishing crossing of the mighty Irrawaddy river at Mandalay opposed by the main Japanese army. To avoid this it was decided to split 14 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 because 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 .