Kohima: The Furthest Battle: The Story of the Japanese Invasion of India in 1944 and the Battle of Kohima

by Leslie Edwards

By the end of 1943 the Japanese had occupied most of South-East Asia. On 6 March 1944, the first units of the Japanese 15 Army crossed the inhospitable border of what was then Burma, and invaded India. At the township of Kohima they were met by a small, hastily assembled force of Indian and British troops, later reinforced by 2 Division of Slim's 14 Army, who fought valiantly and forced the Japanese to retreat. Described by Mountbatten as 'the British/Indian Thermopylae', Kohima was a turning point in Japanese fortunes, heralding their continued defeat in battle until their formal surrender on 2 September 1945. Using extensive research in primary sources and many previously unpublished first-hand accounts, Leslie Edwards presents a definitive analysis of this pivotal battle.

480 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2009

Reviews

[Ian Willey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book covers the events leading up to the siege and the events once the siege was ended. Excellent read and by far the best book I have read on the subject.

[Charles Temm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on an under appreciated battle.

Very detailed with considerable first hand lower rank accounts, this book covers the Japanese invasion of India early 1944. A swift attack through Burma by the Japanese cut the land route to China, seized the critical port of Rangoon, and then became a springboard for an advance into eastern India. The Japanese 15th Army pushed the battered Imperial survivors ahead of them as they advanced on Imphal and Kohima communication/supply hubs. A hastily gathered ad hoc force of local police/border troops, Burma force survivors, rear echelon and transient troops held them until reinforcements from India arrived.

Its a long read and at times confusing but aside from a lack of decent maps (monochromatic and use of non military cartographic symbols) remains well worth the time to read.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kohima is one of many battles that occurred during WWII and despite being called the ‘Stalingrad of the East’ is a little known conflict within a largely forgotten theatre in Burma.
This is a wonderful account of the battle in northeast India where a British-Indian troops would triumph over the invading Japanese. My only real criticism comes more from the maps that were included than the narrative itself.