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Osprey Campaign #319
Imphal 1944: The Japanese Invasion of India
In March 1944, the Japanese Fifteenth Army launched an offensive into India from Burma. Named "U Go," its main objective was the capture of the town of Imphal, which provided the easiest route between India and Burma. Whoever controlled it, controlled access between the two countries. Facing off against the Japanese was the British Fourteenth Army and its Imphal-based 4 Corps. For the next four months, over 200,000 men clashed in the hills and valley of Manipur in what has since been described as one of the greatest battles of World War II.
Although numbers vary, it is estimated that some 30,000 Japanese soldiers died and 23,000 were injured at Imphal-Kohima in 1944 due to fighting, disease and in the retreat back to Burma. It remains the largest defeat on land ever for the Japanese Army.
With fully commissioned artwork and maps, this is the complete story of the turning point in the Burma campaign in World War II.
Although numbers vary, it is estimated that some 30,000 Japanese soldiers died and 23,000 were injured at Imphal-Kohima in 1944 due to fighting, disease and in the retreat back to Burma. It remains the largest defeat on land ever for the Japanese Army.
With fully commissioned artwork and maps, this is the complete story of the turning point in the Burma campaign in World War II.
96 pages, Paperback
Published March 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 28, 2019
During their runaway victories in 1942, the Japanese army drove the British out of Burma in utter humiliation. Not only did the Japanese Mitsubishi "Zero" and the Nakajima "Oscar" planes create the myth of Japanese aerial supremacy and shock the Allies ranged against them, but the lowly Japanese infantryman seemed endowed with superb jungle fighting skills that could not be matched. Supporting their drive into Malaya and Burma were the Japanese tanks, which surprised their enemies as much as the German Panzers did in the Ardennes. (Hey, that ain't tank country! You can't do that!) Two years later the Japanese attempted to roll forward once again in the hope of breaking through the jungle hills and into India. Supporting their drive would be the Indian National Army (INA) who dreamed of their brothers from the sub-continent rising up with them against their British overlords. This drive by the Japanese Fifteenth Army met the British Fourteenth Army at the town of Imphal. This book covers the story of that historic battle.
Ok, I have a personal collection of over 900 Osprey books, and this book makes it what, nine hundred and one? So I am judging this by what I consider their standards, as well as what I value as a customer. The art work is ok, but I wish there was more. There were a lot of black and white photos from the war, which are always interesting, especially if they really support the text. The color photos taken by the author were so-so. I mean, some of mountain ranges taken from a distance reminded me of vacation pictures I have viewed in the past. "Oh, that's nice." The ones he took of an all important runway and the long abandoned, overgrown trenches were pretty cool, and I wish there were more of them.
There were plenty of maps but the fanciest ones I viewed as wasted pages. Somebody put a lot of effort into the computer generated topography and colors, but they spread over two adjacent pages and it was hard to see some of the important places without breaking the spine of the book!
Of the text it was give and take. A lot of research went into documenting which battalion of which regiment went where and when. And just when I wanted to start skimming text with a glazed look over my eyes I would come across something interesting such as when some soldier performed some heroic act and I would savor the text like a juicy burger. So there is a lot of detail for somebody who really wanted to know all that.
I wanted to give this a three star rating but being as the author did so much research, even if he just happened to be on vacation (wink, wink), he deserves four stars. After all, he just didn't repeat what others said. I won't give away the spoilers because that story makes spending your coin worthwhile. Good job, Hemant!
Ok, I have a personal collection of over 900 Osprey books, and this book makes it what, nine hundred and one? So I am judging this by what I consider their standards, as well as what I value as a customer. The art work is ok, but I wish there was more. There were a lot of black and white photos from the war, which are always interesting, especially if they really support the text. The color photos taken by the author were so-so. I mean, some of mountain ranges taken from a distance reminded me of vacation pictures I have viewed in the past. "Oh, that's nice." The ones he took of an all important runway and the long abandoned, overgrown trenches were pretty cool, and I wish there were more of them.
There were plenty of maps but the fanciest ones I viewed as wasted pages. Somebody put a lot of effort into the computer generated topography and colors, but they spread over two adjacent pages and it was hard to see some of the important places without breaking the spine of the book!
Of the text it was give and take. A lot of research went into documenting which battalion of which regiment went where and when. And just when I wanted to start skimming text with a glazed look over my eyes I would come across something interesting such as when some soldier performed some heroic act and I would savor the text like a juicy burger. So there is a lot of detail for somebody who really wanted to know all that.
I wanted to give this a three star rating but being as the author did so much research, even if he just happened to be on vacation (wink, wink), he deserves four stars. After all, he just didn't repeat what others said. I won't give away the spoilers because that story makes spending your coin worthwhile. Good job, Hemant!
May 6, 2021
I don't know why Goodreads said I read this a second time. Maybe someday, but not yet.
During their runaway victories in 1942, the Japanese army drove the British out of Burma in utter humiliation. Not only did the Japanese Mitsubishi "Zero" and the Nakajima "Oscar" planes create the myth of Japanese aerial supremacy and shock the Allies ranged against them, but the lowly Japanese infantryman seemed endowed with superb jungle fighting skills that could not be matched. Supporting their drive into Malaya and Burma were the Japanese tanks, which surprised their enemies as much as the German Panzers did in the Ardennes. (Hey, that ain't tank country! You can't do that!) Two years later the Japanese attempted to roll forward once again in the hope of breaking through the jungle hills and into India. Supporting their drive would be the Indian National Army (INA) who dreamed of their brothers from the sub-continent rising up with them against their British overlords. This drive by the Japanese Fifteenth Army met the British Fourteenth Army at the town of Imphal. This book covers the story of that historic battle.
Ok, I have a personal collection of over 900 Osprey books, and this book makes it what, nine hundred and one? So I am judging this by what I consider their standards, as well as what I value as a customer. The art work is ok, but I wish there was more. There were a lot of black and white photos from the war, which are always interesting, especially if they really support the text. The color photos taken by the author were so-so. I mean, some of mountain ranges taken from a distance reminded me of vacation pictures I have viewed in the past. "Oh, that's nice." The ones he took of an all important runway and the long abandoned, overgrown trenches were pretty cool, and I wish there were more of them.
There were plenty of maps but the fanciest ones I viewed as wasted pages. Somebody put a lot of effort into the computer generated topography and colors, but they spread over two adjacent pages and it was hard to see some of the important places without breaking the spine of the book!
Of the text it was give and take. A lot of research went into documenting which battalion of which regiment went where and when. And just when I wanted to start skimming text with a glazed look over my eyes I would come across something interesting such as when some soldier performed some heroic act and I would savor the text like a juicy burger. So there is a lot of detail for somebody who really wanted to know all that.
I wanted to give this a three star rating but being as the author did so much research, even if he just happened to be on vacation (wink, wink), he deserves four stars. After all, he just didn't repeat what others said. I won't give away the spoilers because that story makes spending your coin worthwhile. Good job, Hemant!
During their runaway victories in 1942, the Japanese army drove the British out of Burma in utter humiliation. Not only did the Japanese Mitsubishi "Zero" and the Nakajima "Oscar" planes create the myth of Japanese aerial supremacy and shock the Allies ranged against them, but the lowly Japanese infantryman seemed endowed with superb jungle fighting skills that could not be matched. Supporting their drive into Malaya and Burma were the Japanese tanks, which surprised their enemies as much as the German Panzers did in the Ardennes. (Hey, that ain't tank country! You can't do that!) Two years later the Japanese attempted to roll forward once again in the hope of breaking through the jungle hills and into India. Supporting their drive would be the Indian National Army (INA) who dreamed of their brothers from the sub-continent rising up with them against their British overlords. This drive by the Japanese Fifteenth Army met the British Fourteenth Army at the town of Imphal. This book covers the story of that historic battle.
Ok, I have a personal collection of over 900 Osprey books, and this book makes it what, nine hundred and one? So I am judging this by what I consider their standards, as well as what I value as a customer. The art work is ok, but I wish there was more. There were a lot of black and white photos from the war, which are always interesting, especially if they really support the text. The color photos taken by the author were so-so. I mean, some of mountain ranges taken from a distance reminded me of vacation pictures I have viewed in the past. "Oh, that's nice." The ones he took of an all important runway and the long abandoned, overgrown trenches were pretty cool, and I wish there were more of them.
There were plenty of maps but the fanciest ones I viewed as wasted pages. Somebody put a lot of effort into the computer generated topography and colors, but they spread over two adjacent pages and it was hard to see some of the important places without breaking the spine of the book!
Of the text it was give and take. A lot of research went into documenting which battalion of which regiment went where and when. And just when I wanted to start skimming text with a glazed look over my eyes I would come across something interesting such as when some soldier performed some heroic act and I would savor the text like a juicy burger. So there is a lot of detail for somebody who really wanted to know all that.
I wanted to give this a three star rating but being as the author did so much research, even if he just happened to be on vacation (wink, wink), he deserves four stars. After all, he just didn't repeat what others said. I won't give away the spoilers because that story makes spending your coin worthwhile. Good job, Hemant!
June 14, 2024
Top shelf Osprey book with great maps in particular and perfect for someone like me who does not know much about the battle.
July 31, 2025
My Dad was stationed in Imphal during the war, and was likely there during the battle. While not in a combat role, he was a radio operator who provided important communications. He once remarked to me that he later learned that the fighting was much closer than he realized at the time. The book is well written, with many details of this pivotal battle.
April 24, 2018
Disclaimer: the book is written by my younger brother so I am biased. That said, it is a quick, good read with helpful maps and illustrations on a key turning point in Second World War in Asia and the Japanese being pushed back on land for the first time. It is also a key element of Indian history that is not widely known.
June 12, 2024
I'm not a huge fan of the Osprey series, but this book has been a very pleasant surprise. As the title implies, it deals with the battles around Imphal (India) between March and July 1944, in parallel with the Japanese offensive over Kohima.
The Japanese strategic goals were to deprive the British and Indian forces of one of their main supply centers, to preempt a likely offensive move by the Allies later in the year, and to eventually open a gateway to conquer India. The attack did not catch the British forces by surprise, except for the Japanese move from the north across (in theory) impassable jungle and mountain terrain, cutting the road to Kohima and isolating Imphal by land.
The Japanese aggressive plan was based on (1) assuming that British units would rout once they were cut off from their supply source at Kohima, and (2) that significant enemy supplies would be captured to feed their own forces. Neither happened: the British and Indian forces retreated in good order to the pre-planned defensive boxes and were adequately supplied and reinforced by air during the battle, despite the deteriorating weather conditions from May onwards (monsoon period).
What followed after the tactical Allied retreats was first a battle of attrition in which the Japanese suffered the most, and later a counterattack by the Allied forces that routed the weakened Japanese forces, leading to the virtual destruction of the Burma Army and the reconquest of Rangoon later in 1944.
Regarding the book, it offers a very well-structured narrative of a rather confusing campaign, with different moving parts happening simultaneously. The maps and infographics are excellent for understanding the different phases of the campaign, and the photo illustrations (both contemporary and modern) are nice complementary materials.
I'm currently reading Lyman’s *A War of Empires*, which covers the wider 1941-45 Burma campaign, and this book is an excellent complement for digging into more detail about one of the most critical battles of this period.
The Japanese strategic goals were to deprive the British and Indian forces of one of their main supply centers, to preempt a likely offensive move by the Allies later in the year, and to eventually open a gateway to conquer India. The attack did not catch the British forces by surprise, except for the Japanese move from the north across (in theory) impassable jungle and mountain terrain, cutting the road to Kohima and isolating Imphal by land.
The Japanese aggressive plan was based on (1) assuming that British units would rout once they were cut off from their supply source at Kohima, and (2) that significant enemy supplies would be captured to feed their own forces. Neither happened: the British and Indian forces retreated in good order to the pre-planned defensive boxes and were adequately supplied and reinforced by air during the battle, despite the deteriorating weather conditions from May onwards (monsoon period).
What followed after the tactical Allied retreats was first a battle of attrition in which the Japanese suffered the most, and later a counterattack by the Allied forces that routed the weakened Japanese forces, leading to the virtual destruction of the Burma Army and the reconquest of Rangoon later in 1944.
Regarding the book, it offers a very well-structured narrative of a rather confusing campaign, with different moving parts happening simultaneously. The maps and infographics are excellent for understanding the different phases of the campaign, and the photo illustrations (both contemporary and modern) are nice complementary materials.
I'm currently reading Lyman’s *A War of Empires*, which covers the wider 1941-45 Burma campaign, and this book is an excellent complement for digging into more detail about one of the most critical battles of this period.
August 16, 2020
Excellent maps and 3Ds supported by page turning text much enjoyed it.
I have read about Kohima, the Admin box, FM Slim and the campaign in general. This book gives an excellent insight into the bigger battles at Imphal which stopped and eventually neutered 15 th Army.
I have read about Kohima, the Admin box, FM Slim and the campaign in general. This book gives an excellent insight into the bigger battles at Imphal which stopped and eventually neutered 15 th Army.
October 9, 2019
Great account of the first time that in the CBI teater a Japanese invasion was defeated. Great read that transport us tothe region and the terrajn.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews