The Battle of Imphal
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2017
- The History Guy remembers the forgotten history of the World War II battle of Imphal, also known as India's Thermopylae.
The History Guy uses images that are in the Public Domain. As photographs of actual events are often not available, I will sometimes use photographs of similar events or objects for illustration.
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Some viewers have complained that I did not include the contribution of the Indian National Army. I did not mention the INA for two reasons: First, the INA is important and complex history in itself, and I could not do that history justice in the narrow context of this battle. Second, the actual contribution of the INA to the battles of Imphal and Kohima was small, and did not significantly impact the outcome of the battle.
I did not intend to disparage the service of the veterans of the Indian National Army. It is important to note that Indians died fighting on both sides of the conflict.
Personally i feel the INA and Chandra Bose should be considered as traitors,in particular considering the Japanese treatment of other "allies" it is clear that under Japanese rule they would be simply exchanging one colonial power for another, more brutal colonial power. I consider the service of veterans of the INA as a slap in the face, to indians who fought against the IJA. If you context this with the Japanese treatment of POW's and natives of South East Asia that came under their power, coupled with the disgusting experiments of unit 731 in China, Then the INA was little more than a terrorist rabble.
I suggest that Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan might be a worthy subject. She didn't change the world but she is a hero who has been largely forgotten.
Everyone has a complaint ... let the man do his work.
@@freddieclark i pity your poor sense of history and international diplomacy.......besides wt difference does it make if a european considers Netaji as a traitor...traitor to who?.. the British?.... oh so be it.....for us it is a badge of honor......STOP defending the evil British Empire!
@@subhadeepbanerjee6805 You obviously didnt understand my post. Also, many of my Indian friends are of the same opinion
My parents met at the Battle of Imphal. Dad was in the RAMC, Mum a nurse in the QARNC. Mum was evauated prior to the start and when it was over Dad was down to about 7 stone (98lbf). They never discussed it or any of their time in the war and were married in Bombay in 1945 and were together until Dads passing in 1995.
Graham Millar
Great to know...Was your mom a manipuri?
@@surajsoram2667 If that's a real question, then you're dumb.
@@SPM_SS Whats so dumb about it...He said his parents met in battle of imphal...And the majority people in this region is Manipuri
@@surajsoram2667 He said his mom was a nurse in the QARANC. How many nurses were there in Manipur in the 40s? Let alone in the QARANC. Read carefully, understand. Common sense.
As a former British soldier of a more recent vintage I never had the honour to fight alongside Indian troops, I did however serve alongside Gurkha troops in Bosnia and later had the pleasure to instruct many of them at our Corps headquarters in Blandford. I would be remiss in not giving my deepest respects to our allies from times past and times present. Thank you.
Three Steps Sideways now India has Sikhs,the gukhas (Hindu tribal), Rajputs(ancient fighting clan),the Assamese (best ppl for jungle field)....So we deserve for respect. M we have largest Gurkhas n Sikhs army
Well reading that, I'll add the caveat, respect goes with humility.
FFM4ME
Yes, to lose 150,000 dead in two world wars is an incredible sacrifice; but they played a big part in defeating the aggressor in both cases. They must not be forgotten.
Archit Garg incorrect. None of the about 1.7 million in WW1 or about 2.5 million in WW2 were drafted. The Indian Armies of both World wars hold the distinction of the largest 'volunteer' armies of all time.
This doesn't mean that their sacrifice wasn't great. Indeed it could be argued that it was more so because they did volunteer, but that's neither here nor there.
I like TO highlight RANDOM words so THAT people see I'M telling the TRUTH and NOT some CONSPIRACY theory spouting IDIOT. The EMPIRE of JAPAN was ACTUALLY called the LIBERATE ASIAN COUNTRIES LOVEPIRE. Take THAT western NANJING-believing SHEEPLE.
Kohima is very far from forgotten in Britain. Every Remembrance Sunday (the Sunday nearest to Nov 11th), at many of the well-attended services of remembrance, someone (usually a representative of the British Legion) will read the Kohima Epitaph 'When you go home, tell them of us and say, "For your tomorrow, we gave our today".' After the 2nd World War General Slim's 14th army was often called the Forgotten Army and veterans of the Burma campaign felt their exploits were overlooked. The addition of the Kohima Epitaph was an attempt to make sure Burma is not forgotten today.
There’s also Imphal Barracks in York
Politics. It's an inconvenient truth that some prefer to keep quiet about. Also overshadowed by the Normandy Landings around the same time.
One of the histories I found claimed ( in about 2015 ) that effectively the Burmese have never stopped fighting WWII..... allied supporters still struggling with Japanese supporters, so long after both Japs and the Allies have forgotten their disagreements.
Thanks for sharing. I'm From North East India and it is ironic that not many, especially the new generation know much about importance of this battle. It was only during my visit to the war cemetery at Kohima way back in the early 90s that I learnt about this crucial phase in the fight against imperial Japan. I felt it didn't get a fair recognition in the war again Japan in the history books.
My father helped recapture the dressing station at Imphal. He never said much. But I always remember two pictures of Japanese infantry men that was in the photo box. My father was fighting alongside Gurhkas, there is one or two macabre stories about that. Bit it was kill or be killed. He survived. I am grateful.
Can you send me the photos of the Japanese infantry men ?
Can you send me the photos of the Japanese infantry men ?
@@markwilson6692 sadly my mother got rid of unwanted photos a few years back without talking to us. I'd love yo have tried returning them to the families concerned myself.
What Regiment was your father in ?
My uncle fought the entire burma campaign ; form retreat to victory. He was surrounded at imphal. My father joined after imphal. Food was always a problem for the english and japanese during the monsoon, whereas the indian rations were monsoon proof; pickled meat vegetables and parathas steeped in ghee. The indian soldier could endure hardship as it was for him the norm !
A truly horrific campaign my respect for your uncles service and those who fought died and were held in captivity by the Japanese. 🇬🇧
Without one solid bowel movement, might i add.
Given the choice after the fall off Singapore, Indian prisoners (fighting along side the Brittish) took up the offer from the Japanese to guard the Allied prisoners. After the war they claimed independence from the British. No honour at all.
@@JohnSmith-mz6mb: A Britisher shouldn't be preaching honour. If they can make a Maratha fight against Rajput why can't Japanese do same?
@@jaszthebest I'm not British. I am someone stating a fact.
I am from Imphal. My grandfather was one of the few who have a clear knowledge about that period. He told me that Japan began to advance more quickly than British but due to bad roads and supply cuts they were weakened soon. My grandfather's brother made a fortune helping the British although prior to that he was helping the Japanese. When he realised Brits were winning, he changed side and made himself into the British food supplier group. Many guys like him are the reason why allies won the war.
Very glad to see this short video - although you might have mentioned that it was Slim's battle plan to entice the Japanese to attack using their established flanking tactics to cut off Allied troops. Previously, in such circumstances the latter had retreated, leaving their supplies for the Japanese to capture. The Japanese plan relied on this as you say. Slim's genius was to see that resupply by airlift was feasible for the Allies and not the Japanese, and he ordered all troops to stand firm even if surrounded. This denied the Japanese the supplies they had expected - hence their rout. It was not an accidental victory at all and it was a far bigger defeat (certainly in numerical terms) than any other the Japanese suffered.
You might want to look at the earlier battles in the Arakan in early 1944 as well, where the same British tactics had the same result - defeat of a larger army by an apparently encircled smaller one. Slim has a good claim to be the outstanding Allied general of WWII.
Also - rather like in Vietnam twenty years later , the Burmese population divided on racial lines with one group supporting the Anglo-Indians and one opposing them. So it isn't strictly true to say as you do that the Burmese population welcomed the Japanese - and moreover those that did were quickly disabused once the Japanese regime's ideas of racial supremacy and cruelty were seen.
You know who else deserves to be remembered? Bill Slim, commander of the forgotten army and arguably Britain's greatest general of the war. It was his leadership that turned around the morale, training and jungle fighting ability of the allied army there. He also masterminded the use of resupply by air drop, a breakthrough in modern warfare. You could have mentioned him at least once. Its like discussing the achievements of Patton's III army without mentioning Patton himself.
George MacDonald Fraser, who authored the epic "Flashman" novels, wrote a memoir describing his time in the British Army in Burma. Well worth a read, and entitled "Quartered Safe Out Here." An outstanding recollection of the Burma Campaign.
The German air Force Ju-53s air dropped a lot of supplies at Narvik in 1940, and also along the Russian front.
HEAR HEAR!
Crypto Tharg just finished reading it for the second time. He really tells it like it was. Very impressive book. Can’t recommend it enough.
And don't forget Capitan America's overall influence on the war itself.
Many of my naga school mates in boarding school in Shillong in the late sixties and mid seventies used to bring war soveniers like japanese helmets and swords,etc that they used find lying around all over nagaland.
That really interesting , some of that stuff would be worth a lot of money now .
Edward Corran It sure would.
wow!! amazing to know that
Wan to know about Nagas of Manipur
Well I have a spear that was used in war
I am from Manipur and I make sure in my little way the Battles of Imphal and Kohima are remembered in Cheshire & Greater Manchester by organising commemorative service whenever I can. The 50th Anniversary held in Wilmslow...the video is in the archive of the British Library in London.
The Indian troops were second to none. Not just in this battle but elsewhere. They fought with great valour in North Africa as well, often winning battles which no one else thought winnable.
Many Allied troops had no sympathy for the Japanese, especially after they murdered patients and medical staff when they took the hospital. Not the first time such a crime had been committed by them.
Big Blue second to none!? You’re joking right .
Indian troops are criminally underrated. They had excellent combat record in Europe, Africa and Asia...arguably one of the best armies in the world (17 victoria crosses are no joke)
Don't forget the Gallipoli campaign and Indian sacrifices
@@yiezokesiezie4074 the Indian Troops of World War 2 were absolutely undoubtedly one of the best at their time. They liberated and won countless battles which other forces could not do so. The Gurkhas and the Sikhs, the jat etc.
I believe the Indian troops had a key role in Monte Casino?
I am so glad to see that you have covered the actions of Indian army. As an Indian I have mixed feelings because Indians fought on both sides and suffered on both sides of the battle. I have close family members who served and endured. Let us not forget that while Indian troops were fighting for the freedom of the Allies (across all fronts), their own families were dying from a British-made and Churchill sanctioned famine in India.
No mention of the part Indians played in starving their own people then . My late father was based in India/ Burma at the time of the famine and told me about the local Indian Government officials and merchants who were hoarding vast amounts of grain and rice forcing the price up . When they found these hoards my father's troop would get their artillery blow the wharehouse doors off and distribute the grain
@@CaesarCassius And modern India made Great Britain you racist swine. Otherwise your tiny isle in an unforsaken ass crack of the North Atlantic would not made the revenues it did during its Victorian era heyday.
@@nlb52 no doubt that happened too.. oppression always requires willing local accomplices. I just wish that colonial history is properly taught in Indian and British schools. We Indians still have some limited understanding from our school textbooks... British students are still taught the whitewashed version
@@CaesarCassius The British took India from the marathas and the Sikhs. The Muslims were a waning power when the brits came. Learn your history.
Rubbish the famine if there was one was not of British doing.
Proud to be a Gorkha . My Grandad fought in Malaya , then in North Africa and then spent the good part of the war in a POW camp in Italy . He came back to the Village after the war was over and settled down in the PWD office
Very Interesting.
Yes but there was no Gorkhas in Imphal and Kohima, during that period.
Could you please throw some light on the 2nd Sikh war and the role of my ancestor, Dewan Mul Raj Chopra and also on his subsequent trial and eventual death. Thank you sir.
My friend's grandfather was served in Burma front. His one leg was burnt because of saving two of his British officer from a burning tank. He died 10 years ago.
My father (English) was in the 5th Indian Division at that time and made many life-long Indian friends. They had reunions for many years in Malaysia (1958 - 1961), Germany (mid to late 1960s) and in England after he retired (1970s to 1980s).
Yet another great history snippet . Thanks.
To give it a tad of prospective it is often referred to in the UK as the battle of the tennis courts because in one incident the combatants fought on either end of jungle surrounded tennis courts lobbing grenades at each other .
It sounds crazy but as my old teacher ( an ex WW2 vet from the Burma campaign )
said the jungle was so dense it could take 10 hours to move 1000 yards though it and you often ended up fighting just a matter of yards from the enemy.
Are you kidding? "Yards from the enemy maybe right. But...
It was one tennis court, at the back of the pre-war Deputy Commissioner's bungalow. It had nothing to do with jungle. The tennis court backed up to a slope. The British naturally positioned their defence line along the ridge overlooking the slopes, so the Japanese attacks had to come up the slope and over the tennis court. The British (West Yorks regiment and Assam regiment elements) shrank it's perimeter during the days of the battle but never gave way entirely. One British officer said that each of the dozens of Japanese attacks were never a surprise; each one could be heard forming up and there was always a little time to get prepared for it. Whatever gardens, trees, and shrubbery that was there before the battle was blown away to bare dirt by the time it ended. It's true -- at times the two sides were only separated by the width of the tennis court while they threw grenades and fired at each other. When the Berkshires relieved the Kohima defenders, they described themselves as zombies due to exhaustion and starvation, while the Berks described them as bearded scarecrows. One imagines the Japanese were in nearly the same state.
Me too love history n I'm from Manipur near war battle .Many grandparents told the stories of that period n how they survived during war ..thank u for sharing
My father landed in Rangoon as the Japanese were retreating from Burma. I think it was probably 1945. My father was horrified to see the evidence of Japanese atrocities. The main road of Rangoon had dead bodies hanging from lamp posts on both sides.
Sounds like bs
@@stoggafllik The Japanese did much worse in WW2.
@@liverbot4854 You sound like a bot.
@@stoggafllik You sound ignorant.
@@stoggafllikthere's no need to be so aggressive, there's many books or information about the Japanese war crimes committed during their occupations of southeast colonies, the Burma campaign has the well known death railway, just for a start.
Omfg. How haven't you achieved 1m subs. These are BY FAR the best and most informative shot history series on TH-cam. You've earned a long term subscriber.
Keep it up
I'm from Imphal n thank you for giving me a knowledge of WWII which took place here at Imphal. my great grandfather was once a soldier of British gov. and I still have a medallion of his given by Brits gov. and some 1936 coins too
Duanganglu Maringmei you should upload the medal and the receipient photo.
@jai hind kyu?
@jai hind chup be.jhatu
@jai hind Dont wear patriotism on yoir sleeve and lecture other people. The Indian army, navy and airforce are all british formed then why are we still continuing with it and even the regiments remain. Yes the british were bad but.so are todays politicians, they are public servants but behave as if they own the country, are you doing anything about it？Those medalians are as important as the war that his ancestor fought.
@@JoJo-kc6ko
Indian army is not British formed .
And we Indians do not appreciate those people who fought alongside British .
Even in our history this war is not discussed .
In this war both sides Indians were getting killed .
Thank you for this awesome video . There's a WW2 meusium in Moirang,45 kilometers from imphal. There you can see many weapons and firearms used by the Japanese and British army. Especially, I like the Japanese swords.
The book "Not Ordinary Men" is a must read about the battle of Kohima.
There are so many unexplode bomb still founded in the Areas. My Father's owned more than 50Acres land in Manipur near Myanmar borders when we dig for cultivation purpose we discovered more than 150 unexplode bomb some are weight more than 200kg and some still explodeables . Also in ccpur town district we discovered rotten rifles and 50 Boxes full of Ammunition's and grenedes
I'm from Imphal. We have a war cemetery dedicated to the fallen Allied soldiers in the heart of town. Great video! ✌
My Grandfather and his family were in Rangoon and trekked to India. Once the family reached India, 3 brothers went back and enlisted in 3 different armies - Australian, Us and British. The eldest was part of the 101 squad Kachin Rangers- this elite squad was responsible for more Japanese officers deaths than real action. He was a cripple by day and a commando at night. Absolutely loved the stories. They always said...if any man has seen war like we did..they wouldn't want to fight ever again. The trek from Burma to Calcutta with old people, wen and children wasn't easy...though they all stuck together and survived. RIP TJ Costello.
Iam from Kohima, thank you for sharing our history.!
You are indian first . What do you think about india?
@@hopegood5866 no Nagas are Nagas and we Manipuris are Manipuris not Indians. Don't try to force us
@@hopegood5866lol
Who are you to force others to be indians eh????
I live in imphal and my grandfather tells me stories about the great war. I remember him telling that once a Japanese fighter plane crash landed on a hill nearby our house and my grandfather and his friends along with the british soldiers were made to search the premises to find the Japanese pilot.
We have lots of similar stories in England from the battle of Britain. There were still crashed German planes in the late 50s just left to rust. Another storie Ive heard (my mum was told by a man who was there) is that a small group of Germans attempted a landing in falmouth, Cornwall (an important port for DDay). They were beaten to death and left floating in the harbour.
Do you guys call ww2 the Great war like how we in Britain call ww1 the ‘the great war.’
@@OMG3DBEAT
They called ww2 "Japan Lan",meaning
Japan War.
@@OMG3DBEAT We associate WW2 more with Japan than Nazi Germany, especially given the amount of bombing Japan did on areas in the northeast already ridden with poverty and famine. Unfortunately the history books don’t really tell us about how Indian, British and some African troops pursued the Japanese back to Rangoon which they then liberated.
This history class is not boring
👐😃
From Manipur Ccpur India 🇮🇳
Thanks,History Guy! Reading the comments tells me you're succeeding. An honest debate is started without too much rancour. A good teacher makes his students think outside the box. You, Sir, are a treasure.
I have been watching a lot of your videos lately. Excellent work. Concise, well thought out snippets that showcase your topic nicely. Subscribed and looking forward to both going through your backlog and seeing new content.
Thank you for covering this now forgotten front. It seems the Allies were sustained by the personal bravery of the troops but saved by the poor logistical situation of the Japanese.
Dude, your channel is awesome. You deserve wayyyy more subs than this
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate your videos, very polished and informative. I share them with friends and family. Thanks for your efforts!
Your mini documentaries are addictive! I watch many different history channels, but find myself prioritizing and scanning for programs from you ( The History Guy)! Keep up the great work! Thank you!
No one could diminish the bravery and dedication of the Indian troops at Imphal and Kohima, but one cannot diminish the bravery and dedication of the British units and the African units fighting there as well. And we cannot forget Viscount Slim, C/O of the Fourteenth Army. As Clement Atlee said, "Slim was the chap."
Lewis Taishoff
People fought hard for what they believed in. Respect
@jai hind I found a street shitter......what a day
Slim made a pointing of talking to the Troops. All of them. His long service with the Indian Army, combined with his time at service academies, was invaluable. He was an old Col. who might have been retired had he not been so valued. Montbatten relied. it seems. almost totally on his advice.
@@alimerhi5531 He had great captains and gave them free reign. Each of his division commanders was first rate, such as Punch Cowan. They in turn were always on the same page as Slim.
It is perhaps worth remembering that the Indian Army in WW2 was the largest all volunteer army there has ever been in world history, amounting to well over a million men. Equally, given that Bengal was suffering from famine at the time, principally because of the disruption to the Indian railways caused by the requirements of war use, recruiting might not have been particularly difficult. The army got fed first....'nuff said. In fact, the Anglo-Indian 14th army was the only allied army to defeat a full Japanese army in the field during WW2 and their leader, General Bill Slim, the most forgotten and arguably the best General the British had during the war... and that includes Montgomery.
Slim's book, defeat into victory is an excellent read. Significantly, he actually admits any mistakes he made. His other book of short stories, The Unofficial History is an excellent, honest, sometimes series of stories that says a lot about the kind of man he was.
@hobgoblin1216 the facts show that the "Bengal Famine" was a complex issue that turned into a disaster because the Bengal administration was more interested in ethnic discrimination than saving lives. The Bengal administration was staffed, at all levels, by Bengalis.
hobgoblin1216 I suggest you do a little research; fascist comments are immature and are not acceptable
hobgoblin1216 the British in Bengal were only doing what immigrants have always done, moved somewhere in the hope of a better life.
I do enjoy your videos and I like the fact that you stand up for the under dog and the "forgotten" people who are often written out of history. You are a breath of fresh air.
I,m from Moirang, Manipur thankq for giving me some knowledge of 2ww which took place in my homeland
Our house in Bangkok is at the beginning of the Death railroad..I have traveled all the way to the border and after 18 years here appreciate the conditions they suffered ..In 2016 I had dengue fever that just added to the experience..One little published fact was the first B 29 raid was to bomb Bangkok flown from India..That would be a good one for you to do
Thailand was an independent country, Japan invaded and occupied it. China was not a western colony, Japan attacked China and killed over 50 million people and even used germ warfare.
+Marty Man
Erm....Japan lost, it was rebuilt with American funds they spent 2.2 billion between 45-52...but you just make up your own imaginary narrative
@Marty Man back to your padded cell idiot
Another great video!
Kudos to the History Guy👍🏽
Love from Imphal🖤
This is my favourite channel its like listening to a friend talk thank you
I am proud to be Manipuri knowing the history ,thank you sir
Meiteis are not Indian, you came from China via Burma within the last 250 years.
Dipak gadha we r here from 2000BC
Go fuck yourself mainland India I hate them most
Deepak Vasu. What do you know about North East India that you comment about the Metei? Recorded history of the meiteis goes back to a thousand years, forget about oral history, and you say they came 250 years ago?
This kind of mainland indian mindset is the reason why most NE people hates you mainland Indians. You know nothing about our history, yet make tall claims about it.
Quite right. Those guys were extremely brave and capable.
The Japanese were masters at making battles that relied on perfect timing, surprise and everything having to go EXACTLY to plan. I don't think any battle ever works that way.
A few off the top of my head: Most of China, Hong Kong, the Malaysian peninsula, Singapore, Philippines, Dutch East Indies...
Finally, this is long time coming. Thanks for doing the video.
First time I viewed one of your videos. I really enjoyed it. Thank you
best book is "Defeat into Victory" by Viscount Slim of Burma.
Yes , General Slim was was an outstanding commander, no doubt!
Thanks History Guy - true stories are the best stories, and you have thousands!
This is my favorite channel on TH-cam - Keep up the good work! 😎🥂😎
Thanks for a useful summary. For anyone interested in an in-depth treatment of Imphal / Kohima, I recommend Robert Lyman's book, "A War of Empires".
I believe my Grandpa fought in Burma with the 2nd Suffolk Regiment. Earned 2 military crosses. Lots of up close engagements, nasty stuff. Lest We Forget.
Very true. Many people look at the tropical battles between the US and Japanese on the Pacific front, but completely ignore the battles fought in India and Burma, which were equally (or more) brutal.
@@liverbot4854: Don’t also forget the ones involving the Aussies 🇦🇺 as well! Especially, but not only their famous 7th & 9th Infantry Divisions as we as many other units, but the 9th Division of which had also earlier fought with distinction against Rommel’s ‘German Afrika Korps’ at Tobruk & at El Alamein in the North African Desert Campaign & also in Greece, in 1940-42, & had then afterwards fought in Papua New Guinea & in the former Netherlands East Indies (Now Indonesia) against the Japanese, alone at Milne Bay & along the Kakoda Track, but later at Gona, Buna, & elsewhere there too, together with the Americans & as well as later again with the British & Colonial Dutch Forces there too, whose jungle battles there were similarly, just as up close, personal, bitterly-contested & brutal against the same relentlessly ferocious foe too!
@@trevorfuller1078 I guess the Aussies were already hardened from having to endure intense weather and avoid potentially fatal animals on a weekly basis.
@@liverbot4854 : In many places in the Outback & in the Northern Territory, regarding the local indigenous flora & fauna, on almost an hourly basis, I shouldn’t wonder??!!🤣😂
The Indian general public may not make a big deal about Imphal but the Army certainly does.
true that! besides the army and naga + manipuri civilians, rest of country hardly has any idea about it.
There is a misconception among many Indians that only the British or white soldiers were buried at Kohima War cemetery as the war was fought by the British only. This is false, My grand uncle from the Assam regiment fought in that war, and I have visited the cemetery myself and there were many Indian soldiers buried there. (by Indian, I mean the British Indian Army soldiers which included those from the 2nd Punjab regiment which is now in Pakistan)
Your British Indian Army Soldiers were mainly Muslims who later joined the Pakistan Army.
Dipak Basu. Why don't you go and visit the War cemetery first before you speak shit? Go there and see for yourself how many sikhs, Gurkhas and other soldiers who are neither christians or muslims died there. Stop spouting shit from your mouth if you don't have any knowledge.
that is true.
Th a k you for your time and hard work.
I love obscure hero stories.
Thank you again.
Absolutely love your videos. Great information to add to the story that is our global history
The garrison holding Kohima was a battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment, not paratroops as stated. Paratroops may have been involved on the ground in the Imphal area but there was no para-drop.
wuffothewonderdog the PWRR (descended from the Royal West Kents, the Buffs and the Hampshires) band is called the Kohima Band
At last a mention of the superb Royal West Kent Regiment at Kohima mostly territorial (National Guard) soldiers
I think the view these battles are forgotten by and large is I think more an American view .Primarily the American history is more focussed on the Island hopping campaigns not land battles ...
Also forgotten in the U S because no Yanks involved.
@@craigmccullough7333 actually USAF was also involved. You forget flying over hump ?
One reason why "forgotten" is that the British reconquest of Burma 1944-45 had so little effect on history. The British had only half reconquered its prewar possessions in southeast Asia when the war ended due to the atomic bomb, Soviet invasion of Manchuria, and US impending invasion of Japan's home islands. And India and the rest of British possessions were given up in a few years after the war anyways.
Looking back, some British historians and politicians say that the chief importance of the 1944-45 Burma reconquest was that it supposedly restored British dignity and self-respect in Asia, after the humiliation and disgrace of 1941-42.
Another great video. Well done.
Great episode! I knew nothing about the Battle of Imphal prior to watching this video. Thank you very much.
The policy was to Brigade Indian and British troops together , so of the the three battalions of an 'Indian' brigade one would be British and of a 'British' brigade one of the Battalions would be Indian , by the time of the battles for Kohima and Imphal there were also many more Indian officers than there had been in 1942.
My grandad served in the border regiment 2nd battalion under the 100th Indian Infantry brigade.
@bearjew I don't know about every unit but my grandads battalion was already serving in India at the outbreak of war, they then did jungle warfare training in Ceylon and were eventually attached to the 100th Indian Infantry brigade.
@bearjew It all started after 1857 to maintain stability after the Indian Mutiny. Every Indian division since that time had one brigade of British troops assigned right up until Indias independence.
For a good narrative of the Indian Army during WW2 read Jack Masters book, The road past Mandalay. His earlier book, Bugles and a Tiger is also worth reading
@@nickjung7394 book is by John Masters... he also wrote the Ravi Lancers which is about Indian cavalry participation in WW1. Both are great books
Thanks Sir...for reminding this battle, My grandfather was also among these brave men who fought against Japanese in Burma.
Thank you for this beaut of a video. Very succinct analysis.
Love the Short format
Topic suggestions:
Philippine-American War
The Balkan Wars
War of the Pacific
Six-Day War
P.S. I'm a new subscriber and I like your work
Would have liked input about Field Marshall Slim who was responsible for the turn around against the Japanese.
The battles of Imphal and Kohima are quite well remembered by British students of ww2. What many do not remember too well is that as well as Indian troops (the largest number) and Britishers and Ghurkas there were West Africans who the Japanese reckoned to be the most skilled opponents.
very glad to know o refresh the ancient history of manipur....we love u sir.. from manipur
Had a neighbor who served at Imphal he described his rations as 6 eeeks of fisheads and rice
my grandmother was brought up by japaness in silchar
Interesting
Another great piece of history truly amazing 😉
Thank You for making this video.
hey i am from manipur.btw the airport built by the british is a school now.
wow so much insight didnt know my own history.Thanks.
Wow..would like to visit 🙂🙂
Even in WW1 and 2 Indian soldirs fought bravely. My own Grand dad's brother fought in Egypt. Its a shame that Indians pay lip service to soldiers. Only paying attention to wars fought with Pakistan as they are Muslims and only perceived enemy of India.
I am currently reading ‘horror in the east’ and came across this battle and felt quite intrigued to learn more, happy I found a high quality video to feed my intrigue.
Loved this one!!!! My favorite chanel
Another issue was better leadership. The leadership in the Fall of Burma included a lot of officers apparently sent there during peacetime because they were not wanted elsewhere, coupled with a lot of interference by British civil authorities, who seem to have included a lot of self absorbed and militarily clueless types who did things like commandeer trucks meant to move troops and supplies to evacuate their household goods.
By the time of Imphal, most of the weak leaders had been weeded out, and the military and civilian leadership was working much better.
Thanks for this piece of history. The Kukis fought the British during 1917-1919 before the Battle for Imphal. Many casualities from both sides. However, British who are more advance in modern weapon and supply defeated the kukis. This war which was started to protect British invasion to independent Kuki country need special recognition in world history. Today, British who won the war divided the Kukis to India, Burma and Bangladesh making Kuki minority in all the tree countires. British are responsible for today's Kuki subjugation in South Asia. The Kukis demanded homeland post independence India is denied by respective government. Pl. do a bit of research on this interesting and unexplored history.
That is a story I hope to tell in a future episode.
please do it ,🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
How can you blame the British? They haven't ruled these areas for years. If anyone is oppressing anyone else, it is our own people
this is the best yet. forgotten Heros who fought on our side. respect our Heros. thanks for shining the light...
One of the very, very few channels that would be worth paying for. Always enjoy your presentations. I wish I could suggest something from the granite state, but nothing comes to mind. Lacking anything of significant interest to recommend from New Hampshire, I would like to see your thoughts on the canals in America of the 18th and 19th century, how vital the narrow boats were to trade and the economy and hell thanks to the automobile and it’s highway system, and the real Road before it, the navvies handiwork has been largely forgotten. The canals filled in or simply abandoned. Occasionally re-purposed, sometimes as part of a larger water system but usually closer to metropolitan areas.
A new era has arrived for a new independence. Revival of the Meetei is a myth for the Indians... History is something that can never be abandoned....
And you have proved it well.... Thanks alot... Your info about the event is priceless...
The Indian regiments also gave a good account for themselves in both world wars
This is what I like about your channel
I'm working my way through the older videos and this one is very timely - I have just done the index for a book on the British and Commonwealth armies, and the Battle of Imphal gets mentioned, along with how the British/Indian troops morale and tactics had improved so much since the dark days of late 1941/early 1942.
".... by Indian troops defending their homeland." For this, thank you Sir. This fundamental fact is frequently forgotten by those who refuse to give credit to the nuances of history.
One important fact you might have missed is that the Japanese troops made the tribal vilages suffer as much as them .... They ate up the tribal's livestocks and raped many .
And imphal is actually pronounced ' Imfal ' like pronouncing cookie
"Imphal is actually pronounced 'imfal' like pronouncing cookie"? Chriz R, you're not making any sense!
@colin minhinnick and the communists have the balls to claim they were the ones that kicked the Japanese out of China. They fought a few minor battles, but it was the nationalists and the American (and allies) that really did the hard work. Without the invasion the communists most likely wouldn't have come to power
Imphal is pronounced as imphan in real meitei dailect. Imfal is how britishers pronounced it.
There is much I like about your presentations, but most of all I like the fact you have a world view of history. It's people like you who should be in charge of developing school curriculums. you and Ken Burns make history enjoyable to even the most ardent history hater.
My father was in the Army Air Force as a Radioman. He knew Morse code and could send messages very quickly. He traveled the Ledo Road and set up camp where he was air dropped supplies, a generator, and a radio.
He was mostly by himself and his commanding officer and would relay encrypted messages. He took many photos of his service in Burma, calling it his "big adventure". He recalled not getting any food air dropped during the Japanese offensive, and was told by command to hunt and fish to survive. He recalled getting his little campsite strafed by a Japanese zero but
no other attacks. Command ordered him to be ready to defend himself from the Japanese and they may attack at any time. So he got really skinny from lack of nutrition and developed dental problems. Still he sent the encrypted messages daily of Japanese activities, relaying messages in the Burma theatre. His normal weight of 150 was down to 100 lbs. and I believe he was stressed at the possibility of a Japanese invasion. He and his CO were communications guys not infantry warriors! They each had a rifle and side arm and that was it. Fortunately, the Japanese were stopped
and I believe the dedication of my father,
Joseph Leigh Leisenring, is history that deserves to be remembered!
Thanks for your information
Sir please teach us about the annexation of Manipur to India.It's the most important and emotional history of Manipur.
Konthoujam Philip really bro we annexed manipur I thought it was a British colony also.......N we only attack Goa, Hyderabad.bro what do u want modi is now making road there to develop that area n the Chinese r still complaing about that......Just stay stronger n north east become a really develop part of India....But I couldn't say that for my state Odisha cuz it's highly corrupted,poor n illiterate (2nd poor n 2nd illiterate state of India) n the naxals r just killing ppl n keep government from develop the Western Odisha.....
You are welcome to join china or burma. Manipuris and infact the whole of north east have learned a anti India habbit that too for no true reason what so ever. Pure shame on you all.
And also talk about who liberated you from Britain asshole
My uncle was in the Forgotten 14th Army through this campaign, he survived but died young due to the hardships he endured. He was a British officer.
RIP
Never heard if this battle before, fantastic video and lesson. Thanks
Short brief but very Informative
hi sir
can you please find out more about the Kuki rebellion 1917-19 / some called it the Anglo-kuki war 1917-19 in Manipur from the archives ( if you are a Brit .) how was it recorded..
I would like to know whether the kuki were also known as 'thadou'
with Regards😊
Hegin Lunkim the Kuki uprising was an interesting an complex affair. I don’t have any unique access to primary records, but will do my own research and see if I can answer your question.
The History Guy: Five Minutes of History thank you sir.
1. actually the kukis don't have a written records of their history as they don't have any written manuscript of their own..
2. it's is just a hear-say records(written records in English alphabets have been started in the last few couple of years)
3. Their is an urgent need to know our history to solve a serious internal conflict ( majority of the people know themselves as 'kuki' but few called themselves as 'thadou') right now.
4. As far as my personal take is that.. 'thadou' is a recently invented word .
@Hegin Lunkim, Ebola "Thadou" le "Kuki" thua saap the najelut gud haa, baral?? 😂😂
Kuki a thipai ding hita chu
land warrior haha how the meiteis used to ran to the hills to hide, what a shameful history
And regardin our lost treasure "THE KABOW VALLEY" whch was gven by jawaharlal nehru in exchange of andaman and nicobar.......
An excellent book to read about the war in Burma and India is "Defeat Into Victory" by Field Marshal William Slim. It includes the battles at Imphal and Kohima, among many.
Thank you, history guy, there is not much information available neither in India nor in the outside world about the battle of Imphal and as such not many people know about this battle, in which we Indians were dragged into the war undemocratically by our colonizers, but we still fought with our oppressors to defend our homeland. I wish many people know about the bravery of the troops that delayed the Japanese advance and turning the tide of the war in the pacific. I have seen many people saying that it was only the US that fought the Japanese in the pacific and the commonwealth has done nothing against Japanese, I wish those people to learn about the battle of Imphal.
Thank you, History guy, for not forgetting our soldiers even though we ourselves forgot about them. You have earned a new subscriber.
Honor to the British Indian troops
My Grandfather serve as British Indian soldier during this battle of Imphal...He used to tell me the stories how they track down Japanese soldiers...N Yes m Manipuri n from Imphal too...During this war both British n Japanese soldiers followed strict laws n codes n never violate any humanitarian laws...
Love Your channel From Imphal, Manipur ❤ thnks for sharing
Awesome History Lesson History Guy.....