by Frank McLynn
17 Indian Division, 24, 31, 35, 54, 294, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 305, 309, 310, 311, 324, 423, 424, 425, 426, 440, 442–3
19 Indian Division, 374, 376, 379, 415, 418, 420, 421, 430, 437, 438, 440
20 Indian Division, 294, 296, 297–8, 305, 307, 308, 311, 324, 379, 418, 419, 422, 431, 436–7, 438, 440
23 Indian Division, 295, 300, 305, 306, 308, 309
25 Indian Division, 254, 376
26 India Division, 254, 265, 266–7, 278, 443–4
36 British Division, 254, 348, 360, 421, 435, 436
70 British Division, 96, 176, 178, 259–60, 269
81 West African Division, 176, 179, 273, 376
82 West African Division, 273, 376
Expeditionary Force
Egyptian Expeditionary Force, 18
Regiments
Assam, 317
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, 260
Black Watch, 18, 82, 260
Border, 260
Burma Rifles, 83, 136, 259
Cameronian, 259
Duke of Wellington’s, 260
Dorset, 319
Essex, 26, 90
Gurkha Rifles, 17, 83–4, 93, 155, 259
Indian Parachute, 266, 300, 303
Indian Tank, 305
Irish Guards, 27
King’s (King’s Liverpool), 83, 157, 173, 259
King’s African Rifles, 374
King’s Own Royal, 259
Lancashire Fusiliers, 259
Leicestershire, 260
Queen’s Royal, 260
Royal Berkshire, 419
Royal Tank, 249
Royal Warwickshire, 16, 17
Royal West Kent, 12, 314, 317
South Lancashire, 423–4
South Staffs, 259
West India, 17
York and Lancaster, 260
see also Chindits; names of commanders
British Empire, 3, 5, 6, 19, 22, 51, 164, 230, 246, 252, 367, 372, 392, 436, 456
‘Broadway’, 275, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 285, 288, 326, 342, 343
Brodie, Brigadier Thomas, 260, 342, 344
Bromhead, Major R.B., 143
Brooke, Alan, Viscount Alanbrooke see Alanbrooke, Alan Brooke, Viscount
Brooke-Popham, Sir Robert, 19, 20
Browning, Lieutenant General Frederick ‘Boy’, 383
Bruce, General X, 81
BUCCANEER, 218, 221, 225, 226, 228, 264
Budalin, 419
Bulge, Battle of the, 369, 432
Bunker Hill, 316
Burma
casualties in, 1
international and political context of conflict in, 2–8, 19, 456
ethnic groups, 7–8
geography, 8
plants, 8–9
wildlife, 9–15
attack on Pearl Harbor changes perceptions about, 20
British refusal of Chinese troops for, 21, 49
included in ABDACOM, 23
Japanese invasion of, 24–5
Japanese occupation of, 97–8
campaign in see British Army/British Indian Army; Chindits; Chinese troops; Japanese forces in Burma; Marauders/GALAHAD force; names of places; names of commanders
Roosevelt’s attitude to, 46
Slim tries to set up civilian administration in, 446
becomes independent, 456
Burma Defence Army, 97
Burmah Oil Company, 27
Burmans/Burmese, 7, 8, 29, 31, 32, 39, 49, 98, 143, 273
Burma road, 5–6, 19, 53, 61, 111, 117, 126, 130, 222, 345, 356, 434, 436
Burmese Independence Army, 97, 143
Burmese Liberation Army (BLA), 146
Burmese National Army (BNA), 378, 438, 446
Burnett, Major, 140
bushido code, 97, 146, 257, 312
Bush Warfare School, 36–7, 79, 81, 83
Buthidaung, 100, 102, 103, 104, 250, 252, 254, 255
Buthidaung-Maungdaw line, 102
Buthidaung-Maungdaw road, 102, 179, 250, 254, 255
Cairo, 74–5, 78, 177, 178, 372–3
conference 1943, 213, 214, 215, 216–25, 226–7, 229, 232, 233, 240, 245, 261, 263, 266, 387, 409
conference 1944, 372
Calcutta, 20, 50, 94, 95, 96, 99, 102, 115, 181, 256, 373
California, 43–4
Calvert, Michael (‘Mad Mike’)
and the British retreat to India, 36–7, 92
first meeting with Wingate, 79
tours Burmese frontier with Wingate, 81
and training of Chindits, 84
leadership style, 85
in Delhi as ‘brigade liaison’, 87
at Imphal before first Chindit expedition, 137
promoted to lieutenant colonel, 138
and first Chindit expedition, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146–7, 149
and new organisation of Chindits, 259
incident at Delhi Officers Club, 262
and second Chindit expedition, 267, 280, 281, 282, 285, 288
as candidate to succeed Wingate, 340, 341
in action under new leadership, 342–4, 350, 351–2
relations with Stilwell, 356–7
brief references, 80, 82, 268, 345, 353
Camberley, 17, 27
Canada, 185 see also Quebec
Canadians, 185, 186
Cape Matapan, Battle of (1941), 189
CAPITAL, 366–7, 373, 375, 376, 381, 385, 413, 414
Carton de Wiart, General, 237
Casablanca conference 1943, 46, 133, 134, 160, 193
Caucasus, 18
Central Provinces, India, 84, 267
Cetniks, 387
Ceylon, 9, 30, 195, 338–9, 358, 362, 363, 370–2, 383 see also Kandy
Chabua, 170
Changsha, 390
Chaplin, Charlie, 183
Charterhouse, 69
Chauk, 419, 424, 429, 437
Cheduba, 378, 433, 434
Ch’en Ch’eng, General, 64, 122
Chennault, Colonel Claire Lee
background, 51–2
Madame Chiang favours, 51, 52, 116
role in China, 50, 52
and Stilwell, 52–3, 67–8, 115, 127–8, 132, 164, 169, 200, 230, 388, 389, 390, 391, 396
placed under command of Bissell, 115–16
and Arnold’s visit, 160–1
idea of winning war with airpower alone, 116, 127, 128, 161–2, 165, 198–9, 394, 408
and Wilkie’s visit, 127–8
and Roosevelt, 162, 163, 165, 394
and TRIDENT conference, 164, 165, 166
and Ledo road, 171
compared with Wingate, 198–9
at Cairo conference, 217, 219
McHugh’s suggestion concerning, 230–1
and Wallace’s mission, 388, 389
American resentment about supplies to, 404
loses power over air force in China, 452
brief references, 56, 113, 134, 201, 237, 355, 398, 413
Chiang Kai-shek
and US, 4, 19, 22, 44, 45–6, 114, 117, 119, 126, 159, 160, 162, 163, 167, 168, 199, 216, 222, 226–7, 227–8, 229–30, 349–50, 387, 391, 393–6, 397, 401–2, 403–4, 404–5, 409–10
withdraws his government to Chungking, 5
Wavell’s meeting with, 20–1
anger at the British, 21, 22
and creation of ABDACOM, 22–3
and problems of Stilwell’s multiple role, 44–5, 194
response to request to approve US commander for Chinese troops in Burma, 45–6
suspicions about Western motives, 48
military doctrine, 48
Stilwell’s opinion of, 48–9, 169
receives promise about Chennault’s rank, 49–50
visit to India, 50–1
relationship with Madame Chiang, 51
wants road built from Ledo to Assam, 53
Stilwell’s experience of dealing with, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63–4, 67–8, 110–13, 114–15, 116–17, 118, 121
, 126, 127, 128–9, 131–2, 133, 134, 161, 167, 168, 170, 201–2, 204–5, 215–16, 228–9, 336, 355, 391, 398–9, 399–400, 410–11
and Doolittle raids, 65
meeting with Wingate, 80
corrupt regime, 113–14, 120, 162, 386, 391
and Currie’s mission, 118–19
and problems of Chinese army, 122–3
and Wilkie’s mission, 128
angry at decisions of Casablanca conference, 137
and Arnold’s mission, 161
and TRIDENT conference, 164–5
and power struggle with Soong family, 202–3, 205
and Mountbatten’s first visit, 204, 206
Mountbatten’s naivety concerning, 207
and Hurley’s mission, 215
and Cairo conference, 213, 214, 216–17, 219, 220, 221, 222–3, 224–5, 226–7
Mountbatten visits again, 225
and Tehran conference, 226
Wingate visits, 262
pressured to commit Y-force, 349–50
Madame Chiang leaves, 387, 406
and Wallace’s mission, 388–9
and White’s article, 391, 392
accepts Hurley as intermediary, 396
discussions with Hurley and Nelson, 398–9, 400–1
and dismissal of Stilwell, 403–5
assassination plans against, 409–10
and Wedemeyer’s appointment, 410
and recall of planes, 413
and recall of troops, 434, 435
and Mountbatten’s visit, 435–6
and victory of Mao, 452
brief references, 6, 33, 47, 61, 78, 124, 125, 166, 171, 175, 193, 232, 241, 242, 247, 248, 264, 270, 275, 286, 390, 412, 451, 453
Chiang, Madame (Soong Mei-ling), 4, 21, 51–2, 57, 59–60, 67, 80, 112–13, 115, 116, 117, 118, 121, 126, 127, 132, 159, 163–4, 202, 203, 206, 208, 213, 216, 219–20, 221, 222, 223, 225, 387, 393, 397, 403, 404–5, 406
China
and international and political context before Burma campaign, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Communists, 4, 48, 64, 120, 121, 167, 201, 202, 221, 228, 349, 386, 387–8, 389, 391, 392, 395, 400, 411, 452
and US, 3, 4, 21–2, 22–3, 44, 46, 113, 114, 117, 119, 120, 126–7, 133, 134, 159–60, 160–1, 161–2, 163–4, 165, 167, 168, 199, 200, 202, 212, 213, 216, 218, 221, 222, 223–4, 226–7, 227–8, 229–30, 349–50, 366, 367, 372, 387, 388–92, 393–8, 401–6, 409–10, 452, 456
Japanese invasion of, 5
British support for US policy on, 19
Wavell’s visit to, 20–1
British decision not to retreat to, 36
Stilwell’s early career in, 43
Stilwell appointment to post in, 44–6
and Chiang’s military doctrine, 48
Stilwell’s view of situation in, 48–9, 113, 119–20, 159
Chennault’s role in, 52, 115–16, 127–8
and Ledo road, 53, 130, 133, 199
Stilwell in, 53–4, 59–60, 110–21, 126–9, 131–2, 133, 161, 167–71, 201–7, 228–9, 262–3, 355, 386, 397–402
culture, 59
Japanese attacks in retaliation for Doolittle raids, 65
Wingate’s visit to, 80–1
corruption, 113–14, 386
Currie’s mission to, 117–18, 118–19
Wilkie’s mission to, 126–8
Arnold’s mission to, 160–1
Alsop’s mission to, 161
and TRIDENT conference, 165, 166
Mountbatten’s first visit to, 198–9, 201, 204–7
power struggle in, 202–3
and suggestion of four-power conference, 213–14
Hurley’s mission to, 214–15
and Cairo conference, 216, 218, 220–1, 222–3, 224, 226–7
Wingate visits again, 262–3
journalistic mission to Mao, 388
‘Dixie mission’, 388
Wallace mission to, 388–9
new Japanese offensive in, 390, 399, 401, 412–13
White’s article about, 391–2
Hurley sent as intermediary to, 396–7
talks in, 398–401
Roosevelt sends message to Chiang, 401–3
machinations against Stilwell in, 403–5
Stilwell recalled from, 405–6
Wedemeyer’s appointment to, 405–6, 410
assassination plans, 409–10
planes ordered back to, 413
troops ordered back to, 434, 435
Mountbatten goes to, 435–6
victory of Mao in, 452
brief references, 1, 8, 61, 137, 152, 193, 245, 268, 270, 367
Chindits
formed, 82–3
unsatisfactory relations between Wingate and Gurkhas, 83–4, 88
training, 84–6, 88, 89
name, 88
organisation, 136
move to Imphal, 137
decision taken to send into action, 138
LONGCLOTH (first Chindit expedition), 139–58, 172, 176, 200, 252
and decision of Quebec conference, 176, 263
more officers recruited for, 176–7
new organisation, 259–60
training of new force, 260
and airpower, 258, 260–1, 264–5, 266, 269
conflicts within, 261–2
doubts about another expedition, 263–4
discussions and disagreements between Slim and Wingate about, 265–7, 268–70, 271–2
Wingate’s plans for, 266–8, 270, 273–5
more troops assigned to, 272–3
second expedition, 275–88, 331
death of Wingate, 288–9
selection of new leader, 340–2
factionalism, 342, 344
operations after change of leadership, 342–5, 351–3, 356–7, 259–61
brief references, 10, 11, 14–15, 178, 243, 348–9, 358, 367, 407
Chindwin, River, 8, 37, 38, 60, 66, 138, 139, 140, 147, 148, 152, 154–5, 156, 232, 233, 236, 270, 273, 276, 277, 294, 295, 298, 299, 305, 313, 322, 324, 332, 342, 349, 366, 373, 374, 376, 377, 378, 379, 384, 385, 414, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 429
Chinese air force, 117
Chinese troops
Wavell’s attitude to, 21, 22, 49
Stilwell’s appointment as commander, 45–6
in Burma in 1942, 31, 32–3, 34, 35, 36, 54, 55, 56, 58–9, 60, 61, 62–3, 67
in India after retreat from Burma, 92–3
and discussions between Stilwell and Chiang, 111–12, 115, 118, 228, 229, 236
training camp in India approved, 121
reform and training in Ramgarh, 122–5, 129
Stilwell’s objectives in campaign, 130
Stilwell given total command of forces trained at Ramgarh, 229
campaign plan, 232, 233
Chiang pressed to commit more troops, 349–50
deficiencies, 392, 412
in action, 233, 234–6, 247, 328, 329, 330, 331, 345, 346, 347, 348, 350, 351, 352, 353, 355, 356, 399–400, 401, 412, 434
recalled, 434, 435
Armies
5th Army, 31, 33, 54, 56, 61, 62, 115, 131
6th Army, 35, 36, 54, 56, 62
8th Army, 123
Divisions
8th Division, 123
22nd Division, 56, 59, 233, 330
28th Division, 64
38th Division, 60, 61, 92, 233, 234, 329, 337
55th Division, 64
96th Division, 56
200th Division, 62
Regiments
66th Regiment, 247, 330
112th Regiment, 234
113th Regiment, 330
Chinese population in Burma, 7, 8
Chin hills, 8, 294
Chins, 7, 83
Chittagong, 102, 267
Chou En-lai, 388
Chowringhee, 275, 279, 280, 282, 285
Christison, Philip, 251–2, 384, 385, 414, 433, 447, 448, 450, 451
Chungking, 5, 6, 20–1, 22, 48, 53, 56, 59, 64, 81, 110, 11
1, 113, 116, 118, 119, 120, 121, 126, 127, 128, 129, 131, 133, 160, 161, 162, 167, 198–9, 201, 203, 205, 208, 213, 214, 227, 228, 230, 262, 336, 345, 350, 355, 356, 372, 386, 388, 390, 393, 398, 401, 406, 435
Churchill, Sara, 223
Churchill, Winston
and Wavell’s appointment as commander-in-chief in India, 19
puts Burma under Wavell’s command, 20
agrees to establishment of ABDACOM, 22
appoints Alexander as corps commander, 26, 27
and strategic importance of Burma, 45
and Singapore, 45, 164
and British Empire, 51, 164
and Cripps mission, 94, 95
approves Wavell’s promotion to field marhsal, 96
comment on Arakan campaign, 103
at Casablanca conference, 133–4
and Wingate, 158, 173, 174–5, 176, 177, 212–13, 259, 265, 269, 270–1, 272, 283, 284, 286, 287
and TRIDENT conference, 164
Stilwell confers with, 166
and Wavell’s promotion to viceroy, and replacement as commander-in-chief by Auchinleck, 108, 166
comment on Ledo road, 171
attends Quebec conference, 173, 174, 175, 176
support for Mountbatten during his early career, 185, 186
seeks supreme commander in South East Asia, 187–9
appointment of Mountbatten, 183, 189–90, 191, 193–4
and supreme command of OVER-LORD, 190–1
sends special envoy to Mountbatten in India, 195
high hopes of Mountbatten-Wingate team, 198
obsession with peripheral campaigns, 211–12
and Cairo conference, 216, 217–18, 221, 223
and Tehran conference, 224, 225–6
does not want publicity for SEAC, 237–8
attitude towards campaign in north Burma, 245, 248
views on Indian army, 249–50, 258
and Battle of Kohima-Imphal, 320–1
and victory at Myitkyina, 348
obsessed with attack on Sumatra, 367, 368
and Mountbatten, 367, 368, 369–70, 372–3
and Leese’s appointment, 382
and airpower in Burma, 433
and sacking of Leese, 450
brief references, 6, 23, 40, 46, 47, 60, 61, 64, 129, 132, 137, 160, 196, 205, 219, 240, 246, 252, 261, 285, 302, 327, 341, 380, 387, 393, 401, 435, 446, 447, 449
Church Knoll, 321–2
CIA, 79, 409, 455
Clark airbase, 20
Clive of India, 75
CLOAK, 416
Cobb, Brigadier Eddie, 377
Cochran, Colonel Philip, 177, 260, 279, 280, 281, 283, 289, 344, 345
Colombia, 119
Colombo, 30, 371
Comilla, 211, 262, 265, 271, 278, 286
Communists, 4, 48, 64, 120, 121, 167, 201, 202, 221, 228, 349, 386, 387–8, 389, 391, 392, 395, 400, 411, 452
Congress party (India), 94, 95, 454
‘Control’ faction (Tosei-Ha), 5, 302, 322, 325