Battle of Mandalay
The Battle of Mandalay, fought in March 1945, was a significant engagement during World War II as part of the broader Burma Campaign. Following Japanese victories in 1942 that severed the crucial Burma Road supply route for the Allies, the re-establishment of control over Burma became essential for the Allied forces. Lieutenant General Daniel Sultan orchestrated a strategic three-pronged offensive, with Field Marshal William Slim leading the charge to capture key locations, including Mandalay. Slim's strategy involved misleading Japanese forces by directing a portion of his troops to attack Mandalay while aiming to seize the communication hub of Meiktila. This tactic proved effective, as British forces successfully captured Meiktila on March 3 and Mandalay on March 13, 1945. The victory at Mandalay played a pivotal role in the Allied campaign, ultimately contributing to the reclamation of Burma from Japanese control. The battle not only exemplified military strategy but also highlighted the broader dynamics of the conflict in Southeast Asia during the war.
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Battle of Mandalay
Type of action: Diversionary ground action in World War II
Date: March, 1945
Location: Mandalay, Burma
Combatants: British vs. Japanese
Principal commanders:British, William Joseph Slim (1891–1970); Japanese, various unit commanders
Result: The British successfully used an attack on Mandalay to draw Japanese forces away from other targets in Burma, then took Mandalay itself; the Japanese lost one-third of their fighting forces and the Allies gained control of the area and the Burma Road
After the Japanese victories in 1942, the Burma Road, the major allied supply route in Asia, was closed. The allied forces realized that if the Japanese were to be defeated, control of Burma and the Burma Road had to be regained. Lieutenant General Daniel Sultan directed a three-pronged effort to regain Burma. Field Marshal William Joseph Slim drove to seize the various crossings of the Chindwin River and then to drive toward Mandalay. When Slim became aware of the Japanese plans to move their forces away from the river, he decided that the most advantageous move would be to take Meiktila, then a Japanese communication center. In order to mask his real intentions, General Slim sent a portion of his troops on to take the city of Mandalay and to draw Japanese troops away from their ever-dwindling army. This strategy worked, and British forces took Meiktila on March 3, 1945, and Mandalay itself on March 13, 1945.
Significance
General Slim’s plan to use Mandalay as a distraction for the Japanese forces while other targets were hit led to the British regaining control of all Burma.
Bibliography
Allen, Louis. Burma, The Longest War 1941–1945. London: Dent, 1984.
Grant, Ian Lyall. Burma 1942: The Japanese Invasion. Chichester, England: Zampi, 1999.
McEnery, John H. Epilogue in Burma. Tunbridge Wells, England: Spellmount, 1990.
Prasad, Bisheswar, ed. The Retreat from Burma 1941–1942. Calcutta: Orient Longmans, 1954.