Japanese invasion of Burma
| Japanese invasion of Burma | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II | |||||||||
View of the Yenangyaung oil field on 16 April 1942 after its destruction ahead of the Japanese advance | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| United States (air support only) | Thailand (from 10 May) | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
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Western Claim : 95,000 Chinese Claim : 103,000 ~45,000 |
85,000 ~23,000 35,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| More than 10,000–50,000 civilians killed | |||||||||
The Japanese invasion of Burma was a series of battles fought in the British colony of Burma (present-day Myanmar) as part of the Pacific Theater of World War II. The initial invasion in 1942 resulted in the capture of Rangoon and the retreat of British, Indian, and Chinese forces. From 1942 to 1945, the Allies and Japan engaged in a protracted struggle for control of the region, marked by fierce fighting in challenging terrain. The Burma campaign was strategically significant, as it was linked to the war in China and the supply routes to the Chinese Nationalists. The eventual Allied victory in 1945 played a crucial role in the overall defeat of Japan.