When it comes to why the Japanese army attacked India, this is really a twisted and bizarre story. The Japanese devils back then could be described as ambitious and ambitious, and their iron hooves had already crossed many countries and regions in Southeast Asia. Under the smoke of the Pacific War, the spearhead of the Japanese army was directly aimed at this fertile land in Asia. India, as the last base of Britain in Asia at that time, naturally became a battleground for the Japanese army.
Why did the Japanese attack India?
As we all know, in 1942, the Japanese army quickly occupied Burma, an important strategic location, by virtue of its outstanding military quality and combat capability. But at this moment, the eyes of the Japanese army began to look beyond Burma to its neighbor India. What did it mean for the Japanese army to control India?
First, taking control of India would be tantamount to cutting off an important channel for the Allies to send arms and supplies to China. At that time, China was suffering from the humiliation of the Japanese army, and if Allied aid was cut off, China's war of resistance would fall into a situation of passive struggle. Second, India, as a British base in Asia, would be dealt a heavy blow to British rule in Asia if it were captured by the Japanese army. What's more, India itself is a fertile land with abundant natural and human resources, which is undoubtedly a mouth-watering piece of fat meat for the Japanese army.
Thus, after the occupation of Burma in 1942, the Japanese army began to covet India. They believed that as long as they captured India, they could cut off the Allied aid to China in one fell swoop, shake Britain's dominance in Asia, and at the same time obtain India's precious spoils. So, in 1944, the Japanese army began its offensive against India.
At that time, the plan of the Japanese army was to strike preemptively, attacking India and destroying the main forces and bases of the British army, before the general counteroffensive of the Allied forces. From Burma, they intended to go west into the Imphal Basin of British India, where they would establish a strong defensive line that would serve as a springboard for further attacks against the British.
The Japanese were determined to succeed in this attack. They were convinced that with the rich experience and tenacious will accumulated on the battlefields of China, coupled with the contempt for the British army, the capture of India would definitely be a piece of cake. However, at this moment, an unexpected turn happened...
The Japanese army encountered Waterloo in India
Hey, when it comes to the disastrous defeat of the Japanese army in India, it is really a ridiculous story! Those arrogant little Japan, full of determination to win and with contempt for the British army, marched murderously towards Imphal, India. They kept saying that it would take Imphal in just three weeks and drive the British out of India. But who would have thought that this was more than four months, not only failed to capture Imphal, but suffered a Waterloo-style fiasco!
On March 8, 1944, the Japanese 15th Army crossed the Chindun River, kicking off the battle. Things went fairly well at first, and they soon surrounded the defenders of the Imphal Basin. But at this moment, an unexpected "green demon" came out and severely crushed the spirit of the Japanese army.
It turns out that the Imphal Basin is surrounded by a large jungle with muddy and difficult paths. During the rainy season, the river floods and the roads are even more difficult. The humid environment caused tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers to contract malaria and other diseases, their skin was covered with abscesses, and their clothes were wet and never dried. There are ants biting everywhere, which is really sinful.
But even so, the Japanese army still gritted its teeth and persevered, relying on the so-called "bushido" spirit and the strict orders of the officers to barely support it. It wasn't until more than three months later that they finally broke out of the bush and reached the edge of Imphal. But what awaited them was the strong fortifications that the British army had already built.
This is really to make matters worse! At this time, the Japanese army was exhausted and ran out of ammunition, and had no strength to launch a powerful attack. In contrast, the British army, relying on the advantage of the inner line, sufficient supplies, strong firepower, and the support of the air force, beat back the Japanese attack several times.
Seeing that the situation was deteriorating day by day, the Japanese army could only make one ridiculous decision -- to retreat! However, this so-called "retreat" was in fact a chaotic rout on all fronts. The Japanese troops who re-entered the jungle had nothing but to gnaw on the weeds and struggle to move forward in the mud. Some were hit by artillery fire, some died in the dense forest, some were swept away by the river... It's terrible!
The original army of 100,000 people was finally reluctantly withdrawn by only 50,000 people. This can be said to be an unprecedented rout in the history of the Japanese army. From then on, the dreams of the Japanese army in India were completely shattered.
The complacency of the Japanese army led to a crushing defeat
Hey, when it comes to the Japanese army's fiasco in India, it was really self-defeating! Those little Japan in those days were very conceited about their so-called "achievements" on the Chinese battlefield. They were so contemptuous of the strength of the British army that they believed that with a little force, they could quickly take British India. But who would have thought that this was more than four months, not only failed to capture Imphal, but suffered a Waterloo-style fiasco!
If you want to say why the Japanese army is so complacent, it really stems from their so-called "victory" on the Chinese battlefield. You think, in the vast land of China, the Japanese army has been rampant for 14 years. With their elite troops and brutal methods, they fought to the death against the Chinese military and civilians in various places. Despite the huge cost, the Japanese army finally established roots in Chinese mainland.
At this moment, the Japanese army began to look beyond China and toward India. They believed that by capturing India, they would cut off an important channel for the Allies to send arms and supplies to China in one fell swoop, and shake Britain's dominance in Asia. What's more, India itself is a fertile land with abundant natural and human resources, which is undoubtedly a mouth-watering piece of fat meat for the Japanese army.
So, in 1944, the Japanese army began its offensive against India. They intended to strike preemptively, attacking India and destroying the main forces and bases of the British army, before the general Allied counteroffensive. The plan was to start from Burma and go west into the Imphal Basin of British India, where a strong defensive line would be established as a springboard for further attacks against the British.
But at this moment, the conceit and pride of the Japanese army began to be revealed. They were convinced that with the rich experience and tenacious will accumulated on the battlefields of China, coupled with the contempt for the British army, the capture of India would definitely be a piece of cake. Therefore, the Japanese army was determined to succeed in this attack.
First of all, the Japanese army had serious deficiencies in logistical preparation. They thought that bringing three weeks of supplies would be enough to take Imphal quickly. As a result, the Japanese army prepared only a week or two of rations, no more than two base numbers of ammunition, and some livestock and sheep for food. But who would have thought that they spent more than four months on the battlefield in India!
Second, the Japanese army also had a tendency to be blindly optimistic about its battle plans. They believed that if the encirclement was carried out decisively, the British army would surely flee. Therefore, the commander of the Japanese army, Mutaguchi Ryo, also formulated a plan for a lightly armed surprise attack, intending to take Imphal within three weeks. This conceited idea is undoubtedly a serious underestimation of the strength of the British army.
Finally, the Japanese also ignored the influence of terrain and climate on the operation during the operation. Little did they know that the Imphal Basin was surrounded by a large jungle with muddy and difficult paths. During the rainy season, the river floods and the roads are even more difficult. This harsh environment caused tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers to contract malaria and other diseases, their skin was covered with abscesses, and their clothes were wet and never dried. But even so, the Japanese army still gritted its teeth and persevered, relying on the so-called "bushido" spirit and the strict orders of the officers to barely support it.
It was this complacency of the Japanese that led to their crushing defeat on the battlefield in India. If the Japanese army had been humble and fully prepared, perhaps the outcome would have been different. It's a pity that the arrogant army will be defeated, and the dream of the Japanese army in India will come to naught.
The deep reasons for the crushing defeat of the Japanese army
Hey, when it comes to the Japanese army's crushing defeat in India, it's not just because they are complacent and ill-prepared. In fact, there are some deeper reasons why the Japanese army suffered such a Waterloo-style defeat on the battlefield in India.
First of all, we have to admit that the Japanese army has been fighting for a long time on the Chinese battlefield, and it has long consumed a lot of their national strength. You think, in the vast land of China, the Japanese army has been rampant for 14 years. With their elite troops and brutal methods, they fought to the death against the Chinese military and civilians in various places. Despite the huge cost, the Japanese army finally established roots in Chinese mainland.
But at this moment, the eyes of the Japanese army began to look beyond China and to India. They believed that by capturing India, they would cut off an important channel for the Allies to send arms and supplies to China in one fell swoop, and shake Britain's dominance in Asia. So, in 1944, the Japanese army began its offensive against India.
However, the offensive was destined to be a difficult battle. Because at that time, the Japanese front was already too scattered to concentrate enough troops. In China, the Pacific, Southeast Asia and other places, the Japanese army has a large number of troops stationed, and there is no time to look east about him.
What's more, the Japanese army was already behind the times in terms of equipment and tactics. They still use traditional infantry tactics and lack modern equipment and tactics. The Allies, on the other hand, already possess advanced tanks, artillery, and aviation, and have extensive experience in joint operations.
Therefore, when the Japanese encountered stubborn resistance from the British on the battlefield in India, they soon fell into a situation of passive struggle. Relying on the advantage of the inner line, sufficient supplies, strong firepower, and the support of the air force, the British army beat back the Japanese attack several times. On the Japanese side, the ammunition was exhausted, the rations were almost exhausted, and they were simply unable to fight back.
In the end, the Japanese army could only make one ridiculous decision -- to retreat! However, this so-called "retreat" was in fact a chaotic rout on all fronts. The Japanese troops who re-entered the jungle had nothing but to gnaw on the weeds and struggle to move forward in the mud. Some were hit by artillery fire, some died in the dense forest, some were swept away by the river... It's terrible!
The original army of 100,000 people was finally reluctantly withdrawn by only 50,000 people. This can be said to be an unprecedented rout in the history of the Japanese army. From then on, the dreams of the Japanese army in India were completely shattered.
end
It can be said that it was precisely because of the deep-seated reasons such as the excessive attrition of the Japanese army in China for a long time, the excessive dispersion of the battle front, and the backwardness of equipment that led to their crushing defeat on the Indian battlefield. If the Japanese army had been well prepared, perhaps the outcome would have been different. It's a pity that the arrogant army will be defeated, and the dream of the Japanese army in India will come to naught.