Battle of the Yunnan–Burma Road

1942 battle of World Ward II
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road
Part of the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II
Date (1942-03-18) (1942-07-12)March 18 – July 12, 1942
(3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Burma
Result Axis victory
Belligerents

Axis

Allies

  • Republic of China (1912–1949) China
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
  • United States United States (air support only)
Commanders and leaders
Empire of Japan Shōjirō Iida
Shozo Sakurai
Masao Watanabe
Empire of Japan Takeshi Koga
Empire of Japan Yūzō Matsuyama
Empire of Japan Yutaka Hiroshi
Thailand J.R.Seriroengrit
United States Joseph Stilwell
Taiwan Luo Zhuoying
Republic of China (1912–1949) Sun Li Jen
Republic of China (1912–1949) Liu Fangwu
Republic of China (1912–1949) Dai Anlan
Republic of China (1912–1949) Liao Yaoxiang
United Kingdom James Scott
United Kingdom David Tennant Cowan
United Kingdom John Anstice
United Kingdom William Slim
United States Claire Lee Chennault
Strength
35,000 95,000
Casualties and losses
33rd, 55th, 56th,
Phayap Army
50,000
  • v
  • t
  • e
Second Sino-Japanese War
1931–1937 (pre-war skirmishes)
1937–1939
1940–1942
1943–1945
Air War
  • v
  • t
  • e
South-East Asian Theater
French Indochina

Thailand

Malaya and Singapore

Dutch East Indies

Indian Ocean

Burma, India and China
Japanese invasion of Burma
Burma campaign (1942–1943)
Burma campaign (1944)
Burma campaign (1944–1945)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Central Pacific
Indian Ocean (1941–1945)
Southeast Asia
Burma and India
Southwest Pacific
North America
Japan
Manchuria and Northern Korea

Second Sino-Japanese War

Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road (18 March – 24 May 1942; Chinese: 滇緬路戰役) was the name of the Chinese intervention to aid their British allies in the 1942 Burma Campaign. Its forces were composed of the Fifth, Sixth and Sixty-sixth Army under the command of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma, commanded by Lt. General Joseph Stilwell, Lt. General Luo Zhuoying was his executive officer.

In February 1942, General Lo Cho-ying directed 5th Army to move from western Yunnan to the vicinity of Toungoo and further south in Burma. Advanced elements of the 200th Division of 5th Army arrived at Toungoo on March 8, 1942, and took over defensive positions from the British forces. The 6th Army was directed to move from Kunming to the Burma–Thai border. Its leading elements reached Mawchi, Mong Pan and Mong Ton in mid March. The 66th Army later arrived in Lashio and Mandalay as a reserve and to assist the British forces in their operations.

Battles of the Yunnan-Burma Road Campaign

  • Battle of Tachiao March 18–19, 1942
  • Battle of Oktwin March 20–23, 1942, in vicinity of Oktwin
  • Battle of Toungoo March 24–30, 1942, in and around Taungoo
  • Battle of Yedashe April 5–8, 1942, in vicinity of Yedashe
  • Battle of Szuwa River April 10–16, 1942, at Szuwa River northwest of Yedashe
  • Battle of Mawchi and Bato Early April 1942, in vicinity of Mawchi
  • Battle of Bawlake April 17, 1942, in vicinity of Bawlakhe
  • Battle of Yenangyaung April 17–19, 1942
  • Battle of Pyinmana April 17–20, 1942, in vicinity of Pyinmana
  • Battle of Loikaw April 20, 1942, in vicinity of Loikaw
  • Battle of Hopong-Taunggyi April 20–24, 1942, in vicinity of Hopong and Taunggyi
  • Battle of Loilem April 25, 1942, in vicinity of Loilem
  • Battle of Lashio April 29, 1942, in vicinity of Lashio
  • Battle of Hsenwe May 1, 1942
  • Battle of Salween River May 6–31, 1942
  • Battle of Hsipaw-Mogok Highway May 23, 1942

See also

References

Sources

  • Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), 2nd Ed., 1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung, Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.
  • Jon Latimer, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004.
  • Orbat of the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma – 1942
  • Japanese forces in Burma, The 1942 Campaign
  • 中国抗日战争正面战场作战记 (China's Anti-Japanese War Combat Operations)
    • Author : Guo Rugui, editor-in-chief Huang Yuzhang
    • Press : Jiangsu People's Publishing House
    • Date published : 2005-07-01
    • ISBN 7-214-03034-9
    • 第八部分:太平洋战争爆发后的中国抗战中国远征军入缅援英作战 1 (The Chinese Expeditionary Force enters Burma to help England to fight)

External links

  • Map of Burma in World War II Showing railroads, roads and tracks.
  • Topographic Maps of the battlefield area
    • Topographic Map NE 47-1 Pyinmana, for Battles of Yedashe, Szuwa River, Bawlake, Pyinmana and Loikaw
    • Topographic Map NE 47-5 Toungoo, for Battles of Taicho, Oktwin, Taungoo and Mawchi
    • Topographic Map NE 47-13 Yamethin, for Battle of Hopong - Taunggyi
    • Topographic Map NF 47-14 Mong Pan, for Battle of Loilem.
    • Topographic Map NF 47-6, for Battle of Lashio.
    • Topographic Map NF 47-5 Maymyo, for Battle of Hsipaw-Mogok Highway
  • Japanese Map of the Battle of Toungoo, Axis History Forum
  • Axis History Forum: Chinese 200th Division: descriptions of actions needed! Discussion and map of the battle of Toungoo and the actions leading up to it and subsequent battles of the campaign.
  • Map of Burma in World War II Showing rails, roads and tracks.
  • 1944 aerial photograph of Toungoo