Tag Archives: Burma

This week in the War, 11–17 June 1945: Victory parade in Rangoon

Posted on June 16, 2017 by secondbysecond

By June 1945, the Japanese army had pulled out of Rangoon. This week in the war, on 15 June 1945, Lord Louis Mountbatten held a victory parade in the city. Rangoon—where Aung San Suu Kyi, the current head of state for … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 11–17 June 1945: Victory parade in Rangoon

This week in the War, 14–20 May 1945: Aung San helps the British

Posted on May 17, 2017 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 15 May 1945, Burmese revolutionary leader Aung San—who had previously sided with the Japanese—offered to help the British. The British welcomed him. Originally a communist, he changed to being a social democrat and later became Premier of the … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 14–20 May 1945: Aung San helps the British

This week in the War, 26 July–1 August 1943: Ba Maw assumes the leadership of Burma and declares war on Britain and the USA

Posted on August 1, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 1 August 1943, the French-educated Burmese political leader, Ba Maw, was appointed Head of State and Prime Minister of the newly formed State of Burma (effectively a puppet state, supported by the Japanese authorities). … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 26 July–1 August 1943: Ba Maw assumes the leadership of Burma and declares war on Britain and the USA

This week in the War, 8–14 February 1943: Wingate’s Chindits

Posted on February 12, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 8 February 1943, the British Army’s 77th Indian Brigade left Imphal in India and crossed into the Arakan region of Burma. They were nicknamed ‘the Chindits’ and were under the command of Brigadier Orde Wingate. The brigade … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 8–14 February 1943: Wingate’s Chindits

This week in the War, 27 July–2 August 1942: Chiang Kai-shek & Vinegar Joe

Posted on August 2, 2014 by secondbysecond

The Japanese had already swept through much of Burma and were well on the way to India. This week in the war, 1 August 1942, Chinese leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek agreed to a proposal by American Lieutenant General Joseph W. … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 27 July–2 August 1942: Chiang Kai-shek & Vinegar Joe

This week in the War, 16–22 March 1942: Alexander and Slim

Posted on March 21, 2014 by secondbysecond

In the spring of 1942, with the Japanese invasion of Burma well under way, Harold Alexander—who was to acquire something of a reputation as Churchill’s ‘fire brigade chief’ was sent to Burma with the rank of full general and orders … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 16–22 March 1942: Alexander and Slim

This week in the War, 2–8 March 1942: The Fall of Rangoon

Posted on March 3, 2014 by secondbysecond

Burma: This week in the war, 7 March 1942, British forces evacuated Rangoon, the Burmese capital. Before leaving, they destroyed the dockyard installations and the oil refineries. Japanese troops had landed in the Irrawaddy delta. Next day, 8 March, the … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 2–8 March 1942: The Fall of Rangoon