A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma and Britain: 1941–45

by Robert Lyman

By 1941 the Japanese reigned supreme in their newly conquered territories throughout Asia. But change was coming. In 1943 the Allies were determined to defeat the Japanese. New commanders were appointed, significant training together with restructuring took place, new equipment arrived and new tactics were developed. A War of Empires expertly retells these coordinated efforts to turn the tide of war as well as detailing the personalities of the commanders, their competing leadership styles, and their shared resolve to finally defeat the all-conquering Japanese. A War of Empires also details how the Indian Army, so brutally defeated in 1941 and 1942 was rebuilt, with a million new recruits. Acclaimed historian Robert Lyman describes how this new volunteer Indian Army, rising from the ashes of defeat, would ferociously fight not to preserve the British Empire but to resist the far more brutal, totalitarian Japanese empire and in the hope for a future, independent India.

But victory did not come immediately. It wasn't until March 1944, when the Japanese staged a massive invasion of India, their famed 'March on Delhi', that the years of rebuilding reaped their reward and after bitter, desperate fighting, the Japanese were finally defeated at Kohima and Imphal. This was followed by a series of extraordinary victories culminating in the catastrophic Japanese defeat at Mandalay in May 1945 and the collapse of all Japanese forces in Burma. Robert Lyman expertly charts this dramatic change as Allied forces fought this brutal campaign in horrific conditions. Their contribution consistently forgotten and ignored by many Western historians, Lyman has conducted ground-breaking research into Indian Army archives, to reveal how these triumphs would help secure Allied victory and ultimately redraw the map of the region with an independent India, free from the shackles of empire, all but guaranteed.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Japan, War, Military History, Military Fiction

560 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2021

About the author

By birth a New Zealander, I was educated in Australia and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. After a 20-year career in the British Army I turned my hand to writing, my PhD being published in 2004 as 'Slim, Master of War, a military biography of arguably Britain's greatest field commander of WW2.

I am a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

I am a trustee of the Kohima Educational Trust, which seeks to provide educational opportunities for young learners in Nagaland.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changing the Game

This book came long recommended to me from several people and I have to say that I loved every page of it. It is a much needed revisionist of the hugely overlooked Burma campaign and India’s role in World War II. Author Robert Lyman, is a former British Army officer and accomplished historian and as such is able to bring military clarity and narrative finesse to a subject long overshadowed by the European and Pacific theatres.

What makes this book exceptional is its careful balance between grand strategy and human story. Lyman weaves together high-level political decisions with the lived experience of soldiers, from British commanders and Indian Army volunteers to Japanese troops and local civilians. His treatment of the Indian contribution is particularly powerful: not just in terms of manpower, but as a force of national identity and transformation. This isn’t just a military history, it’s a meditation on empire, loyalty, and the roots of postwar decolonisation.

The writing is lucid, confident, and deeply informed. Lyman challenges old assumptions; particularly the myth that Britain’s imperial power remained intact through the war and instead reveals how fragile and fractured the empire had become, even before 1945. His portraits of figures like Field Marshal Viscount William Slim, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Lord Louis Mountbatten are nuanced and compelling, showing the complex interplay of leadership, ideology, and circumstance.

Ultimately, this book reshapes how we understand the global conflict and seeks to position Southeast Asia not as a sideshow, but as a crucible where empires clashed and cracked. For me it was a commanding and necessary book that was well written. Analysis and reasoning are present throughout giving not just a narrative history but a critical context also. I highly recommend it.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author & historian Robert Lyman published the book “A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma & Britain: 1941–45” this past week. He has published nine books.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’.

In 1941 & 1942 the British and Indian forces in Burma were repeatedly defeated by the Japanese. They were ultimately pushed entirely out of the country into India. The Commonwealth forces gradually rebuilt themselves and began offensive operations against the Japanese. These forces weathered the Japanese drive on India in early 1944. The British and Commonwealth forces not only stopped them but began to drive them back to the East.

The book delves a little into the politics of the region during the period. The British, Chinese, and US were all allies, but they did not always have common goals. While the expansionism of Japan was well known, the British in Burma did little to prepare a defense. Many of the political and military leaders were out of their depth when confronted by the aggressive and experienced Japanese.

Many in India were already arguing for independence before the war. The war facilitated the economic and political growth of India. Even with the growing unrest, the all-volunteer Indian Army fought fiercely at the side of the British.

I enjoyed the 23+ hours I spent reading this 771-page WWII history. This is one of those rare history books that are very readable. I have read a couple of other accounts of the war in Burma, but I consider this to be the best so far. It provides a comprehensive look at this often ignored theater of operations. While the cover art looks like an old used book, I think that it is appropriate. I rate this book as a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great addition to the role of colonial states fighting for there colonial overlords. Shows the outstanding positive character of India nationals in a fight that would lead to the world's vision of an Indian state. India gains there independence from Britain just a few years later.

#AWarofEmpires #NetGalley

[Nick Harriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book about one of the less talked about theatres in WW2. An excellent companion to James Holland's "Burma 44". "War of Empires" covers the background, political and strategic issues best, while Burma 44 cover the operational and tactical aspects of the big battles best. In hindsight I would have read "War of Empires" first.

[Benito Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A War of Empires has been an exciting discovery. The book was recommended by Richard Clarke, a wargaming designer, as the perfect complement to his WW2 Chain of Command’s recently released Far East Handbook, and he was totally right.

"A War of Empires" provides an in-depth analysis of the campaign, covering the strategic, operational, and tactical aspects of this lesser-known and generally under-researched theatre of the war. Starting with the Japanese invasion and the British retreat in 1941-42, it highlights the ability of the Allies to learn from their enemies, retrain and reorganize their units to fight in a difficult jungle environment; and despite the failed Arakan offensive in early 1943, the successful resist of the Japanese offensive on India in 1944 (Kohima/Imphal) against unfavorable odds, and the decisively defeat the Japanese on their own turf in 1945.

The book also covers the political complexities of the Burma Front in the grand scheme of the Asian theater of war. It was considered a secondary front by the Americans, who were more focused on assisting China to lock down significant Japanese forces that might have reinforced the Philippines or the Pacific.

It also vindicates the critical role played by General “Bill” Slim in driving the innovative approach to jungle warfare, the role of the Indian (and African!) forces in this campaign, and the geopolitical consequences in the post-war period, contributing to the rapid decolonization of India.

Very well written and documented, the only drawback I found in the book is the limited number of maps. For example, some battles like Kohima, Imphal, or Mandalay are treated in great detail in the text, but the map support is insufficient to follow the action. In this sense, I combined the reading of this book with other more focused works from the Osprey Campaign series to get the full picture of these battles.

Despite this, it deserves a clear 5 out of 5 stars rating.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like most readers of military history I think, the War in Burma against the Japanese in 1942 has received scant coverage, compared with the more celebrated areas of combat in WW2. This book goes a long way in addressing this vacuum. The author skilfully brings the ‘Forgotten 14th Army’s’ travails to life in a very interesting and informative new book on the topic. I particularly liked the celebratory way the author portrays the historically unmentioned contribution of the Indian, West African and Chinese soldiers, most of whom had volunteered, but who played a decisive role in the defeat of Japan. The all conquering Japanese Imperial Army had, in 1941 beaten every Army it had engaged in battle with and as a consequence created a mythical reputation of invincibility. A palmares that included American, Chinese, British and Indian armies. How these beaten and demoralised soldiers rearmed themselves, changed their tactics and took on and beat these victorious, tenacious, suicidal and brave warriors is described in a skilful and entertaining tale by this detailed meticulous account. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Ojas Chahal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Lyman's Book A War of Empires was a book which looked at a War which is often forgotten. One thing I will warn about this book is that it's heavily military focussed with political stuff around put to give context to us thus if you are not a Military geek then you should first read India's War by Srinath Raghavan. Coming back to this book though we are able to see the story
of unsung Hero... General Bill Slim and the way he led the 14th Army which was amazing to read. Also we are able to see the domestic political situation of the country and then geopolitical one too and also how the Indian Army was conducting it's duties in early years of the wars mainly in North Africa & the Delhi and London government focus was not at all in the East Asian theatre at all which led to this disaster. The devasting fall of Singapore and then finally occupation of Burma by Japanese. Many Indian workers and traders too lost their Life while trying to go back to India. The Indian Soldier was not at all equipped to deal with a well equipped and a veteran Soldier like Japanese but still our boys fought valiantly and came back even in defeat in organised manner. It wasn't a total collapse ... credit should be given to General Slim as well.
Then the period of transformation came and how Indian nation and people and industry contributed in War efforts created infrastructure , runways , roads especially in remote North East. The change in 14th Army... the splendid display of bravery by legendary 17th Division. The defeat evil Japanese plans of Renya Mutaguchi at Kohima and Imphal by the ferocity of Indian troops. The INA is also talked about and it's clearly shown they were Just puppets of Evil Japanese Empire and many actually surrendered when they met the Indian Army & were seen with disdain for talking arms against their own Army actually.
The Japanese were ferocious fighters with no regard to their own life but poor leadership & poor logistics support and Air support too in 1944/45 meant that end was near.
In a rejuvenated Army with New equipment like Artillery and Tanks & Heavy air support & not to mention the logistics support including medical support ensured that Indian Army liberated Burma. This was a Indian War won by India only.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the finest written books your likely to find. Its certainly the most comprehensive account of the war in Burma. Which encompasses many years of dedicated research by Mr lyman.

I enjoyed the book throughout and as many readers will testify most of the time this book is unputdownable.

JAMES HOLLAND sums this book up perfectly, 'THIS IS A SUPERB BOOK'. He's definitely not wrong.

I was lucky enough to meet Mr Lyman at warfest and spoke to him about the Burma campaign and his knowledge really is second to none.

[Hamish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb history of the battles in Burma through the Second World War. Erudite and informative, I highly recommend this.

[Robert Neil Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The notion that the Burma campaign in World War II is forgotten has long been dispelled by a series of recent histories. It remains, however, a complex episode and difficult to unravel, with all its competing narratives across a wide range of players. Robert Lyman’s engaging and lucid A War of Empires is therefore a welcome addition to the Burma library.
Lyman is quick to point out that the army that defeated the Japanese in Burma was Indian not British, although the latter played their full part. It was certainly the hubristic British that neglected this portion of their empire when the Japanese army came calling in December 1941. Lyman calls this a ‘dereliction of duty’ for allowing the catastrophe that ensued as the Japanese cut the defending forces to ribbons all the way to the Indian border.
Enter Major General William ‘Bill’ Slim who took command of a Corps then 14 Army, preventing retreat from becoming a disgrace, then built up the Anglo-Indian forces physically and morally so that they could stop, turn, and then defeat the Japanese. They achieved this by reeling the Japanese into a rather foolhardy attack centred on Imphal, repulsed them, then launched a counter-offensive that drove the Japanese back down through Burma in 1945. Along the way, Lyman discusses the regeneration of the Indian army; the problems of command among the Allied commanders, bringing the Chinese and Americans into this equation; the nationalist aspirations of many Burmese and Indians duped into complicity with the Japanese; the long-range, behind the lines efforts of Orde Wingate’s Chindits; the crucial appointment of Louis Mountbatten as Allied Supreme Commander; the stunning stand of the Anglo-Indians at Kohima ridge; the conflict amongst the Japanese command as their fortunes turned; and Slim’s brilliant final campaign against the stubborn and fanatical Japanese resistance. And those are just the highlights in a comprehensive account.
Lyman sums up the Burma campaign in his closing chapter. He castigates the Japanese empire for its cruelty and wantonness in Burma, while arguing that independence from Britain was already in the future, though his evidence for this feels a bit soft. Lyman also argues that the Burma campaign was the birth of Indian independence in which the Indian army played a pivotal role – he concludes that this was an Indian victory won by an Indian army. Countering the usual argument that Burma was a sideshow, Lyman stresses the importance of the Burma campaign for the defeat of Japan.
A War of Empires is an outstanding military history of the Burma campaign. Lyman skilfully untangles the complex web of narratives overlaying what was anything but a straightforward fight. He also artfully balances the action on the ground with the wider competing political interests of Britain, India, China, Japan, and the United States. However, Lyman is not so much Anglo-centric as Slim-centric, though here too he points out Slim’s good fortune at key moments and notes the contributions of others who paved the way to victory. It is Slim’s story, however, that pulls all Lyman’s threads together. Lyman’s concluding analysis is provocative, and some might disagree with aspects of it, but few could argue against Lyman’s elevation of India into the spotlight. All in all, this is an excellent read and a splendid starting point for any student of World War II in the Far East.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't feel you understand the Pacific War on the Asian Mainland, this is a book for you. Robert Lyman, a former soldier and historian on British Imperial topics gives us the whole story- this time adding in the Nationalist movements of India and Burma whose stories are so key to the overall narrative. There is a lot of content on the Japanese too- understanding what they were trying to achieve with their Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. The book follows the harrowing 1942 Campaign where the Anglo-Indians and Chinese are ejected from Burma, chased by the seemingly invincible Japanese. The Allies, The British Empire, China, and the newly engaged Americans- are resolved to return -but have a lot of hurdles to overcome - all well laid out by this author, a real pro at Military, Social and Political story telling. He bounces from element to element of this war- sliding back and forth between London, Washington DC, Tokyo, New Delhi and Colombo- and their forward command posts and fronts- always moving the narrative forward- whilst filling the reader in where needed. I read it fast- large swathes every day and was held in rapt attention...

I think Military History buffs and more general readers will appreciate a robust dive into this material- an author really trying to tie up all the strands that made this a really challenging series of campaigns. As a Military Man, Lyman is always explaining where the logistical support for each maneuver is coming from- and who is trying to sever whose life support. The Allied development of "soft" logistical support via new airstrips and parachuted supplies was so far beyond Japanese Capability (they had the parachutes- but not the fleets of transports to compete there), and the massive avalanche of American vehicles (Tanks, APCS, Trucks, DUKws , and Jeeps) so overwhelming- that the eventual outcome was obvious to any neutral observer. But the British General Slim had to weather one last maniacal assault on India before he could unleash his 14th Army into Burma itself. There is also a lot of Chindit content in the book, although Lyman is clear to point out how it was a strategic cul de sac and not a war -winning unit. This is both a popular history and a scholarly work, one of the best on this theater of WWII I have encountered so far.

There are many adult themes, mainly political , and Lyman does not pull back from too many of the plethora of atrocities in this War, so this book is best read by the Junior reader over about 14/15 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this is a mixed bag. The Gamer gets a great guide to the whole war.- and this book may or may not have led to the reviewer purchasing a Indian Army Parachute Company of the Indian Parachute Brigade after reading about the real unit's exploits in the Imphal/Kohima Campaign. The Modeler gets a few diorama ideas, and the photo section is fruitful, but would really more be reading this to understand the overall campaign and get a sense of the war. The Military Enthusiast is the biggest winner- for Lyman stops throughout the book , giving us an appraisal of the command successes or failure of each move as it unfolds, so the reader is getting the lessons from the narrative at each turn. The book is a good package on a facet of the war often forgotten in North America.

[Phil Curme · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 14th Army, a one million strong multi-national Allied force formed in 1943 and tasked with defending India against the Japanese, was famously described by its' commander, Lieutenant-General William (Uncle Bill) Slim, as having been 'forgotten'. Indeed, in Winston Churchill's monumental history of the Second World War the outstandingly successful reconquest of Burma in 1944 warrants less than a page and the architect and leader of the campaign, Bill Slim, is not mentioned at all. In recent times, the impressive Allied victory at Kohima has received more attention but the ensuing events and their strategic importance are often overlooked or played down. Slim's own account of the campaign was published under the title of 'Defeat to Victory' (London, Cassell, 1956) and in this latest book, Robert Lyman has extended and amplified this theme to encompass all aspects - the leadership, the tactics, the strategy and the geo-political implications. The result is a tour-de-force.

The book is split into four sections - Hubris, Hiatus, Resurrection and Redemption. In adopting the narrative that Slim encapsulated in the title of his memoir, Robert Lyman has revealed the transformation of Allied battlefield capability in Indo-China. In 1942, overwhelmed by the ferocity of the attack on Burma and overawed by the myth of Japanese invincibility the Allied defenders were pushed back to India's frontier. Poorly led, the defending Allied forces were outmanoeuvred and outfought in virtually every encounter with the enemy. All that was to change in 1944 - not because of the turning 'tide of war' but through the monumental achievements of the 14th Army. Under the inspired leadership of Mountbatten, Auchinleck and Slim the Allied forces in Burma were imbued with a new sense of purpose and given the tools they needed to beat the Japanese. The author tells the story of the Burma Campaign with authority and style - developing a thesis which will do much to dispel misconceptions and challenge lazy thinking. Furthermore, it is highly readable and serves to entertain as well as inform. Recommended.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw a couple of rave reviews for this book, but I'm disappointed. It's quality is wildly inconsistent. One problem is that it was apparently not copy edited. That's not the author's fault: publishing companies don't edit anymore. As a result there are a number of confusions in the book. In at least one place the author apparently had two different versions of a passage of text, and somehow BOTH were included, one after the other. There are other bad ideas that an editor would have warned about. For example, one chapter has a playful title that alludes to a Star Wars movie of the 1980s. It is jarring and garish in the context of a serious book about a brutal war.

For a writer, Lyman often lacks storytelling instincts or the ability to put himself in the place of his readers. At one point, he tells how British prisoners paint a message (to British reconnaissance planes) on the roof of their prison reading "Extract Digit!". The British pilots correctly surmise that the prisoners meant that the Japanese had pulled out of the city where the prison was located. Now any reader is going to wonder why they didn't just paint "Japs gone!". Why did they make it a word game? Astoundingly, Lyman never explains.

But the biggest problem with the book is the maps. There aren't many of them and the ones included are of mixed quality. A map will appear on a page filled with place names that don't appear in the text until many pages or even several chapters later. Conversely, there are long descriptions of campaigns with many place names that don't appear in any of the maps.

Finally, Lyman's argument that the Burma campaigns were of much greater importance in the outcome of WWII than they have been given credit for is unconvincing. As cruel as it may sound to the British and Indian soldiers who gave their lives, the fact is that Japan's defeat was not advanced by so much as single day by the British reconquest of Burma.

[Chris M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts strong but drags as it goes on. As noted elsewhere, the editing is very inconsistent and the maps are both far too sparse and not very useful. The whole multi-chapter effort of Operation U-Go could have been significantly streamlined and edited so it was less confusing. It tries to be relatively chronological, but this requires jumping back and forth between chapters and makes some of the campaign descriptions very hard to follow. Some orders of battle at the beginning for both sides, by year, would also have been immensely useful.

Burma is a mostly forgotten theater of the war because, frankly, it wasn't that important. The attempted Japanese Indian uprising never had a chance and didn't even get started properly, and no one seemed to know what to do with Burma - Britain basically wanted it because it was a British colony, not for any actual use, and with the lack of effort to support the Chinese it wasn't even useful as an airbase. The Japanese didn't seriously support an Indian uprising, and the terrain between Burma and India made it mostly impassable anyway, as they learned in the 1944 campaign.

The scale of the Japanese involvement also shows they didn't find it particularly important, and they were frankly surprised they overran all of Burma with the force that actually attacked with.

Despite some significant flaws, this is an important look at the Burma campaign and is the closest to a holistic view of the theater we will likely get.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

While some of the comments here are on point (i.e. indifferent editing), this should not diminish the value of this book. Yes, there could/should have been more and better maps but that problem seems to be endemic to military history published recently (maps are expensive). The book is definitely top-shelf and stands with Allen and Latimore in terms of where it should rank. It does deal with upper-echelon command a little more extensively than the others and is fair and objective in its opinions (unlike, say, Holland).

This is a tough campaign to read about. The names, places, and faces are all relatively unpublicized. Yet what was accomplished here often far out-shown its more well-known contemporary campaigns. CBI was literally last on the list for everything in terms of men and equipment and the terrain over which it was fought was as prohibitive as it gets. Further, an army had to be created out of essentially thin air from a population whose leaders were often opposed to it. You're not going to find a lot of familiar names or places but the campaign deserves analysis, which Lyman provides.

[Waseem Butt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough, fascinating and at times movingstudy of what has to be the most complex and challenging theatre of operations in all of WW2. Having been aware at a high level of the campaign, the detail which this book reviews the struggle from the initial invasion of Japanese and retreat of the British through the struggles and logistical and psychological turnaround of the Indian Army to then go on the massive offensives first in nagaland at the border with Burma and subsequent advance through Burma to destroy the Japanese army is incredible. One also becomes infuriated that this was labelled the “forgotten army” when one considers the effort, sacrifice and challenges they were up against. In a moving battlefield, I found it useful to track movements using the map features on my phone which gave greater clarity, though I only discovered this later on in the book. Though Mountbatten was vital to the success of the campaign, I personally can’t overlook his role in the later cock up that was partition.
Slim was the definitive architect of the success of this fascinating period of history..

[Georgios De Stefano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Deep and Detailed Account of the War in the East

Robert Lyman’s A War of Empires is a well-researched and engaging account of the brutal conflict between Japan, Britain, and India in Burma from 1941 to 1945. Lyman does an excellent job of weaving together military strategy, personal stories, and the broader geopolitical stakes, offering a balanced perspective on a lesser-known but crucial theater of World War II.

One of the book’s strengths is its focus on the contributions of Indian soldiers, often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Lyman highlights their resilience and sacrifices, making this not just a story of empire, but of the shifting tides of power in Asia.

The reason for four stars instead of five is that, at times, the level of detail—especially in logistics and troop movements—can feel overwhelming. Some sections could have been more concise without losing the depth of analysis

[Richard Hakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almost forgotten war and maybe not quite a clash of Empires. The war was fought by the Japanese against a British army consisting mostly of Indian volunteers with little press coverage. Part one was a disaster for us and when I see the little Englanders waving their flags about plucky little England defining the might of the Nazis they usually forget this chapter. Part two was much better for us when we actually got the hang of the war but the headlines were taken by the Americans with their army of press photographers in the pacific. The war did end the world of colonialism, the Japanese tried the line of liberation but did little other than change the rulers. At least what did happen pathed and probably speeded up the ground for there eventual independence.

[Andrew Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't quite hold my interest the whole way through, with the sometimes too detailed descriptions of the battles. Also, I think the timelines are mixed up as the author tries to explain each battle in detail, and these parts were a bit hard to line up in my head. Would have benefited from the occasional "and this happened at about he same time as <>". The high level analysis was very interesting, and felt well supported by the detailed descriptions. The Indian and British perspectives are dealt with in greater detail than the Japanese, I would have like a bit more information there. A good overview of this part of WWII that I didn't know very much about previously

[HistoryBookChat · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed read written by one of the true experts on the subject, who has walked the battlefields numerous times.
I had not read anything on the Burma campaign before, & this book expertly guides you through all the military planning, the battles, & the politics on both sides.
The descriptions of living, fighting & travelling in this harshest of environments through Burma, is also really eye opening.
I was also please to find the majority of the chapters had a map, which were invaluable.

To sum up. I have learnt a huge amount & will happily read it again in the future.
What more can you ask of a book?
Highly recommended.

[Graeme Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up till this book the most I knew about Burma was one episode in 'The World at War', a couple of bad films and Tom Moore (an OAP who raised a lot of money for the health service during covid). Lyman's book will alter your ideas a bit. It could benefit from a few more maps but Osprey Publishing Campaign series will fill in the gaps. BTW get the ebook somewhere, as the audiobook on YT has a terrible flaw in Section 2.

[Lucas A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to learn more about Japanese history and conflicts so I’d sad this it shows how humans will be humans no matter the conflict. The art of war is truly spiritual and the sense of belief in your ancient t wisdom and gods which the Japanese honed in this massively increasing technological landscape. Blood is always red pain is always invisible

[Gijs Limonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars; exhaustively researched and enthusiastically written; a treat for military history buffs no doubt; was hoping for a concise and clear overview of the war theatre in the Asiatic southeast but battlefield details kept drowning out the narrative ps the audible format sorely lacks a .pdf with supplementary info, maps etc.

[Georgiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally excellent - I like to think I'm relatively knowledgeable about WW2, and I learned a LOT - but I'm not entirely convinced by Layman's rosy portrayal of British colonialism, especially when he starts throwing in cheap shots about systemic oppression. (There aren't too many empires that are going to come out looking worse than Imperial Japan!)

[Arevik Heboyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work represents the perspective I was looking for, representing the role of bigger and imperialistic states in shaping the destiny of countries and eras overall.
It is always a captivating read for me, but hands down, this book for masterfully crafted and presented in a very logical manner.

[Michael Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply essential reading for anyone interested in this theatre of the war or even the role of empire. The most complete book on its subject area. Simply excellent. If I could give it 6 stars I would.

[CASPER HILEMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Lyman adds a valuable addition to the Historiography of the Second World War and the complex and dynamic Battlefront. A Valuable Addition to Field Marshal Slims History Defeat Into Victory.

[Geoff Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough: my knowledge more based on legend rather than fact. This is a brilliant, historic book -- and will be a resource for years to come.

[pierre bovington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book, well written. Highly recommended for students of SE.Asian history. Robert Lyman joins my list of favourite history writers.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book Lyman is on a par with Holland