Imphal

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 4

Imphal

Imphal: A Flower on Lofty Heights. By Geoffrey Evans and Antony BrettJames. Macmillan. 338 pp. Bibliography and Index.

The battle for Imphal, fought in the first half of 1944, developed into the greatest defeat the Japanese Army had suffered up to that time. It marked a turning point in the land war in Asia, removing completely any Japanese threat to invade India and opening the way for the Allies to return to Burma. When this history of the battle was first published three years ago it was acclaimed as one of the best campaign histories of the Second World War. This reissue in paperback form is unabridged and includes the excellent maps and illustrations of the first edition.

The beautiful valley of Imphal, with its garrison of 155,000 British and Indian troops and 11,000 animals—mules, buffalos and elephants —was supplied for more than two months by the Royal Air Force, the Indian Air Force, and the United States Army Air Force in an airlift of 400 tons of supplies a day after the Japanese advance cut the only road link with India. It was the greatest military airlift of its kind then attempted. The town itself, just inside the Indian border with Burma, was surrounded by almost impenetrable jungleclad mountains. It was defended ridge by ridge with bayonet and grenade until the exhausted Japanese attack turned into a rout. There is an added interest for New Zealand at present in this campaign as Allied troops are again involved in tropical Asia. Close air support of ground troops was as important at Imphal as it is now in Vietnam and Malaysia. Disease and the climate were the greatest enemies, with cold mists on the heights and monsoon rains in the jungle valleys. And both sides made considerable use of the now familiar guerrilla jungle tactics —ambush, lightning raid, and booby-trap. “Imphal,” with its studies of the commanders and strategies on both sides, as well as the details of the fighting, is a book of wide general interest