A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma & Britain: 1941-45

SHORTLISTED FOR THE RUSI DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2022

'This is a superb book.' - James Holland

In 1941 and 1942 the British and Indian Armies were brutally defeated and Japan reigned supreme in its newly conquered territories throughout Asia. But change was coming. New commanders were appointed, significant training together with restructuring took place, and new tactics were developed. A War of Empires by acclaimed historian Robert Lyman expertly records these coordinated efforts and describes how a new volunteer Indian Army, rising from the ashes of defeat, would ferociously fight to turn the tide of war.

But victory did not come immediately. It wasn't until March 1944, when the Japanese staged their famed 'March on Delhi', that the years of rebuilding paid off and, after bitter fighting, the Japanese were finally defeated at Kohima and Imphal. This was followed by a series of extraordinary victories culminating in Mandalay in May 1945 and the collapse of all Japanese forces in Burma. Until now, the Indian Army's contribution has been consistently forgotten and ignored by many Western historians but Robert Lyman proves how vital this hard-fought campaign was in securing Allied victory in the east. Detailing the defeat of Japanese militarism, he recounts how the map of the region was ultimately redrawn, guaranteeing the rise of an independent India free from the shackles of empire.


About the Author
Robert Lyman is widely regarded as one of Britain's most talented military historians, with fifteen best-selling works of history published to date and numerous appearances on television including the BBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are' and a range of documentaries including two in the 'Great Escapes' series, on Tobruk (1941) and Kohima (1944). He was the military consultant to the BBC for the Victory over Japan memorial celebrations in the UK in 2015 and again for the 70th anniversary in 2020. He spent 20 years in the British Army and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. In 2010 he helped General Sir Richard Dannatt write his autobiography, Leading from the Front. A frequent traveller to the US, Asia and Australasia, he lives in England.