The Burma Campaign
Page 69
Rhodes-James, Captain Richard, 290
Ritchie, A.P., 72–3
Roberts, Major General Ouvry, 251, 295, 296, 301, 306, 308, 309
ROGER, 439
Rogers, Ginger, 373
Rommel, Field Marshal Erwin, 116
Roosevelt, President Franklin Delano (FDR)
and China, 4, 21–2, 22–3, 44, 46, 113, 114, 117, 119, 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, 228, 229–30, 349–50, 388, 391, 393–4, 395, 396, 397, 401, 402, 403–4
‘Europe First’ policy, 44, 64, 192
and Stilwell, 46, 47, 119, 163, 164, 167, 200, 202, 215, 223–4, 228, 394, 403–5, 409, 410
Casablanca conference, 133, 134
and ‘unconditional surrender’, 46, 134, 158
and TRIDENT conference, 165, 166
and Quebec conference, 174, 176
and Mountbatten, 207
suggests four-power meeting, 213–14
and Cairo conference, 214, 216, 217, 218, 221, 222, 223–4, 226–7
and Tehran conference, 214, 224, 225
differences between Churchill and, 225, 245–6
death, 452
brief references, 45, 51, 53, 54, 65, 67, 68, 95, 128, 204, 219, 241, 242, 248, 285, 302, 346, 386, 389, 390, 398, 406, 407, 456
Roosevelt, President Theodore, 3
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 69–70
Royal Navy, 5, 19, 20, 94, 133, 184–5, 189, 190, 192, 193, 195, 382
East Indies Fleet, 382
5th Destroyer Flotilla, 184
Russia, 2 see also Soviet Union/Soviet Russia
Russian army, 18
Sadiya, 110
Sagaing, 380
Sagaing Hills, 29
Saingkyu, 66
Saipan, 389, 390
Sakurai Shozo, General, 28
Salim, 440
Salisbury Plain, 70
Salween, River, 8, 25, 229, 273, 275, 350, 395, 399, 401, 445
Salween front, 348, 349, 399, 401
Sandhurst, 18, 27
Sangshak, 295, 299, 300–1
Sao Man Hpa, 88
Sato Kotoku, General, 301, 302, 304, 314, 315, 317, 318, 320, 322, 323
Saturday Evening Post, 390
SAUCY, 167
Saugur, 10, 84, 85, 89, 139
Scheie, Captain, 335
Schwedaung, 32
Scoones, Lieutenant General Geoffrey, 94, 178, 251, 294, 295, 296, 297, 299, 300–1, 303, 305, 309, 321, 364, 374, 376, 385
Scott, Major General J. Bruce, 31, 37, 93
Scott, Major Walter, 144
Scraggy, 308–9
SEAC (South East Asia Command), 225, 236, 237, 240, 242, 245, 339, 346, 366, 371, 380, 389, 390, 405, 452, 453
Mountbatten appointed as supreme commander, 183, 189
meetings, 211, 224, 241–4
newspaper, 238, 283
see also names of personnel
Seagrave, Gordon, 234
Second Front, 217, 226
Seikpyu, 419
Seiktein, 426
Senate Foreign Relations Committee (US), 114
Sengmai, 306
Senior Officers’ School, Belgaum, 17
Sepein, 343
Service, John, 388, 394
Shackleton, Ernest, 88
Shaduzup, 330
Shang-chen, General, 113
Shan hills, 437
Shans, 7, 8
Shan states, 24, 35, 45, 62
Shaupin Chaung river bed, 149
Shegwyin, 37, 40
Shennam ridge, 297, 300, 301, 307, 308–9
Shingbwiyang, 170, 232, 263
Shogunate, 2
Shwebo, 149, 412, 414, 416, 418, 421
Shwebo plain, 379, 380, 418
Shwebo-Myityina railway, 275
Shweli, River, 146, 148, 150, 151
Shweli loop, 148, 149, 150, 151
Shwemyo, 441
Siam (Thailand), 8, 20, 24, 29, 44, 48, 195, 377, 390, 436, 445
Silchar, 304
Silchar track, 309, 310
Simla, 173
Singapore, 19, 20, 23–4, 28–9, 40, 45, 48, 50, 130, 164, 212, 215, 218, 245–6, 390, 439, 456
Sinho, 104
Sinlamaung, 141, 142
Sinzweya: Admin Box, 251, 253–4, 255, 256
Sittang, 137, 374, 379, 418
Sittang, River, 8, 25, 26, 31, 32, 35, 54, 62, 444, 445
Slessor, John, 189
Sligo, 455
Slim, William
and snakes, 12
career, 16–18
Wavell sends for, 18
takes up corps command, 28
analysis of situation, 28–9
and airpower, 30, 256–7, 302, 303, 326–7, 377, 378–9, 413
as commander of BURCORPS, 31–6, 37, 38, 39, 40, 57, 58–9, 61, 62
relations with Stilwell, 57–8, 63, 93–4, 243–4, 331–2, 336, 337, 354–5, 356, 358–9, 407–8
relations with Wingate, 79–80, 265–7, 268–72, 278–9, 279–80, 286
appalled by attitudes in India, 90
relations with Irwin, 90, 99, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106
comment on lack of preparations to welcome Burma veterans in India, 91
hands over his troops to 4 Corps, 93
popularity with the troops, 93
takes command of 15 Indian Corps, 94
moves headquarters to Ranchi, 94
training of 15 Corps, 96–7
and Arakan campaign (1942–43), 99, 100, 101, 102–3, 104
and Irwin’s sacking, 103
character and abilities, 103–4, 105–7
welcomes appointment of Giffard, 107
welcomes appointment of Auchinleck, 108
opinion of Alexander, 108
opinion of Wavell, 108–9
observation on Stilwell’s training of Chinese troops, 124–5
comments on first Chindit expedition, 157
analysis of Ledo road, 171
resumes command of 15 Corps, 178
ordered to prepare for offensice in Arakan, 179
seeks practical ways to combat enemy tactics, 179–80
and his battlefield commanders, 180–1
considers transport and supply problems, 181–2
becomes commander of 14th Army, 209
talks with Mountbatten at Barrackpore, 209, 211–12
relations with Mountbatten, 209–11, 212
comments on Chinese troops, 234
at SEAC meeting, 242, 243, 244
works to improve morale of 14th Army, 249–50
and Arakan offensive, 250–7
and the breaking up of 70 Division, 259
and second Chindit expedition, 265, 266–7, 269–70, 271–2, 273, 275, 278, 279–80, 281, 283, 285, 286–7, 331–2
and Wingate’s death, 289
judicial estimate of Wingate, 290–1
and Battle of Kohima-Imphal, 293, 294, 296, 297, 298–9, 301, 302, 304, 305, 309, 311, 312, 313–14, 318, 320, 321, 323–6
puts Fort Hertz under Stilwell’s command, 328
and Stilwell’s plans to take Myitkyina, 331, 337
tours Stilwell’s headquarters, 332
and selection of Wingate’s successor, 340–1
and Chindit operations under new leadership, 342–3
and intelligence, 364
and pursuit of the enemy, 364–5, 373–4
decision about road building, 365
plans future strategy, 366–7, 373
achieves efficient advance, 375
Quebec directive to, 375–6
prepares for his campaign, 376–7, 378
strategy, 379–80
not given Giffard’s job, 38
relations with Leese, 383, 384–5
crisis caused by withdrawal of planes to China, 413–14
and EXTENDED CAPITAL, 413, 414–43
objectives after occupation of Rangoon
, 444
and civilian administration in Rangoon, 446
plans for operations in Malaya, 446–7
and problems caused by Leese’s suggestion, 447–50
becomes commander-in-chief, Allied Forces, South East Asia, 450
receives official Japanese surrender, 450–1
subsequent career, 451
brief references, 41, 60, 63, 95, 98, 131, 184, 207, 219, 235, 263, 333, 338, 349, 352, 361, 412, 455, 456
Sliney, Colonel G.W., 125
Smyth, Major General Sir John, 24, 25–6
snakes, 10–12
Snelling, Colonel Alfred, 251, 377
SNS see Special Night Squads
SOE (Special Operations Executive), 79, 177, 275
Somervell, Lieutenant General Brehon, 138, 161, 166, 204, 205
Somerville, Admiral Sir James, 189, 196, 197–8, 239, 240, 244, 362, 367, 381, 382
Soong, T.V. (Soong Tze-vun), 44–5, 118, 119, 131, 134, 161, 202, 203, 204, 205, 230, 389, 394, 396, 399, 403
Soong Ching-ling sse Sun Yat-sen, Madame
Soong Mei-ling see Chiang, Madame
Soong sisters, 4, 202–3, 205, 208, 213, 215, 228–9 see also names of individuals
South East Asia Command see SEAC
Soviet Union/Soviet Russia, 5, 6, 22, 133, 160, 213, 214, 226, 340, 388, 389
Special Force see Chindits
Special Night Squads (SNS), 71–2, 73
Special Operations Executive see SOE
Spruance, 346
Spurlock, Lieutenant, 153
Stalin, Joseph, 213, 214, 216, 217, 224, 225, 226, 227, 339–40, 372, 373
Stalingrad, 103, 134
STAMINA, 325
Stanley, H.M., 77, 85
State Department (US), 160, 202, 227, 397, 406
STENCIL, 416
Stevenson, Robert Louis, 69
Stilwell, General Joseph (‘Vinegar Joe’)
and snakes, 12
personality, 42–3
love of movies, 43, 207–8
appearance, 43
career, 43–4
as candidate for post in China, 44
multiple role, 44–5, 49, 194
appointment, 45–6
anti-British, 47, 50, 54–5, 64–5, 66–7, 125–6, 132, 361, 392–3
opinion of Chiang, 48–9, 113
mood prior to departure, 49
has first conference with British allies, 50
first private session with the Chiangs, 51
and Madame Chiang, 51, 57, 59–60, 112–13, 117, 121, 203
and Chennault, 52–3, 67–8, 115, 127–8, 132, 164, 169, 200, 230
staff and headquarters in Chungking, 53
and Ledo road, 53, 126, 130, 133, 162, 170–1, 232
ambitious plans thwarted by Chiang, 54
sets up Burma headquarters at Maymo, 54
relations with Alexander, 55–6, 60–1
ignores Chiang’s wishes, 56
based at Toungoo, 56–7
relations with Slim, 57–8, 63, 93–4, 243–4, 331–2, 336, 337, 354–5, 356, 358–9, 407–8
command of troops undermined by Chiang, 59
confronts Chiang, 59–60
fighting in Burma in 1942, 61–2
use of ‘Peanut’ name in public, 63
Chiang’s antipathy towards, 63, 67, 68
request for disciplining of generals is ignored 64, 111–12, 115
decision to train Chinese troops in India, 65
treks out of Burma to India, 65–6
reactions to his exploit, 67–8
returns to China, 110–11
meeting with Chiang, 111–12
frustration and anger, 113, 114–15
gains Chiang’s agreement for training troops in India, 115
faces demands from both Chiang and the War Department, 116–17
agrees to forward Chiang’s Three Demands to Washington, 117
and Currie’s mission to China, 117–18, 119
X-Y plan, 118
views on situation in China, 119–20, 159, 391–2
travels to India, 121–2
reorganisation and training of Chinese army in Ramgarh, 122–5, 129, 162
returns to Delhi, 125–6
in China again, 126–9
and Wilkie’s mission, 127–8
machinations against, 127–8
goes to Delhi for conferences with the British, 129–31
and campaign plans, 130, 132–3
reports back to Chiang, 131
frustrated by attitude of both Chiang and the British, 134
and Arnold’s mission to China, 161
at planning meeting in Delhi, 161
makes no headway with Roosevelt, 162, 163–4, 228
stays in India, 162
at meetings in Washington, 163
attends TRIDENT conference, 164, 165, 166
in London, 166–7
frustrations and problems in China, 167, 168–71
and creation of post of supreme commander in South East Asia, 194
state of mind before first meeting with Mountbatten, 199–201
and Mountbatten’s first visit to China, 199, 201, 204–5
relations with Mountbatten, 198, 201, 204, 207–8, 214–15, 236–7, 240–3, 244–5, 246–9, 259, 331, 332–5, 336, 339, 348, 357–8, 359–60, 361, 362, 370, 371, 372, 392, 393, 407
and decisions of Quebec conference, 199
opinion of Wingate, 199–200
more machinations against, 202, 204
and Soong plot, 202–3
and Hurley’s mission to China, 214–15
at Cairo conference, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 223–4
interview with Roosevelt, 228
meetings with Chiang, 228–9
given total command of Chinese divisions trained at Ramgarh, 229
position in autumn 1943, 229–31
enemies, 230–1
beginning of campaign, 232, 233, 234–6, 247
and Wingate’s Chindit expedition, 258, 268, 275, 280, 331
relations with Wingate, 262–3
reinforced by US troops, 328–9
continuing campaign, 329, 330, 336
leadership style, 332
visit to Chungking, 336
conference with Slim and Mountbatten, 336–7
sends birthday message to Stalin, 339–40
volatile mood in spring 1944, 340
Chindit units assigned to, 343
and Myitkyina, 345–6, 347, 348, 349, 350, 353–5, 359
relationship with the Chindits, 352–3, 356–7, 359–61
uncaring behaviour towards Marauders, 354
possible mental breakdown, 354–5
becomes hate figure for Marauders, 355
failure of Mountbattens’ attempt to get rid of, 361–2
and Noel Coward’s tour, 362–3
in Kandy during Mountbatten’s absence, 367, 370–1
developments during his final period in China, 388–406
recalled from China, 405–6
returns to US, 406
reactions to his recall, 406–7
assessment of, 407–11
in the Philippines, 451–2
later career, 453
brief references, 79, 80, 81, 137, 160, 175, 182, 184, 188, 213, 225, 227, 250, 260, 261, 270, 286, 366, 369, 374, 378, 380, 381, 387, 413, 434, 455
Stilwell, Colonel Joseph, 408
Stilwell Papers, 407
Stimson, Henry L., 45, 57, 67, 114, 119, 126, 128, 131, 165, 230, 370, 389–90, 391, 404, 410
Stopford, General Montagu, 304, 314, 315, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 373, 379, 385, 414, 421, 438, 440, 444, 448, 450, 451
Stratemeyer, General George, 167, 178, 240–1, 275, 276, 325, 433, 452
Sudan, 17, 70, 90
Sukarno, President, 454
sulphaguinidine, 104
Sultan, General Daniel, 241, 248, 361, 363, 395, 405, 434, 436
Sumatra, 30,
174, 195, 212, 218, 245, 338, 349, 367, 368
Sunderbans, the, 94
Sungshan, 399
Sun Li-jen, General, 32–3, 60, 61, 92, 93, 233, 234, 236, 434
Sun Tzu, 235
Sun Yat-sen, 3, 43
Sun Yat-sen, Madame (Soong Ching-ling), 121, 436
Swayne, General, 381
Sylhet, 288
Symes, Major General George, 178, 258, 259, 264, 269, 340–1, 341–2
Syria, 18
Syria-Lebanon campaign, 18
Tactical Exercises Without Troops, 86
Taguang, 145
Taihpa, 333
Tai-li, 53, 113, 203, 401
Taiwan, 452 see also Formosa
Tamu, 37, 294, 295, 297, 304, 307, 364, 365, 373, 374, 414, 415
Tanaka, Colonel, 296, 309
Tanaka Nobuo, Major General, 310, 311, 312, 313
Tanaka Shinichi, General, 234, 329, 331, 345, 347, 350, 351, 377, 429
tanks, 101, 417, 426
Taoism, 392
Taranto, battle of (1940), 189
Taro valley, 236
TARZAN, 226
Taugni, 359, 360
Taung Bazaar, 255
Taungdwingyi, 32, 34, 58, 440
Taunggyi, 35, 62, 64
Taungtha, 426
Taungup, 433
Taungup-Prome road, 433
Tedder, Arthur, 188, 211
Tehran conference 1943, 214, 224, 225–6, 396
‘Templecombe’ (later renamed ‘Aberdeen’), 275 see also ‘Aberdeen’
Tenghchung, 399
Tengnoupal, 297, 298, 308
Terauchi, General (later Field Marshal), 323, 325, 432
Thabeikkyin, 424
Thaitkido, 104
Thaungdut, 299
Thazi, 440
Theissen, Captain Emmet, 121, 122
Thesiger, Wilfred, 76, 77
Thibaw, King, 6, 7
Thiphaga, 331
Thomas, Sir Shenton, 23
Thompson, General Julian, 155
THURSDAY (Chindit Two), 261, 264–5, 273, 274, 275–88, 293, 298, 326, 331, 342–5, 351–3, 356–7, 359–61
Tibet, 164
Tiddim, 294, 295, 296, 301, 304, 309, 365, 374
Tiddim road, 365, 366, 373, 374
Tigyaing, 145–6
Time magazine, 248
Tinsukia, 67
Tito, 387
Tobruk, 116
Tojo, General Hideki, 97, 324, 325, 456
Tokugawa Ieyasu, 327
Tokyo, 65, 377, 378
Tomotoki Koba, Colonel, 150
Tong, Hollington, 113
Tonhe, 139
Tonmakeng, 141, 142
Tonzang, 296
Torbung, 311
TORCH, 44, 99, 126, 133, 134
Tosei-Ha (‘Control’ faction), 5, 302, 322, 325
Toungoo, 31, 33, 54, 56–7, 437, 441, 442, 443
Treasury Hill, 321
Trevelyan, Sir Humphrey, 213, 258
TRIDENT conference 1943, 107, 164, 165–6
Truman, President Harry S., 452