Narrow Escapes of World War II episode 7: Feats of wartime derring-do. In 1944, 1,500 outnumbered British troops amazingly held Japanese forces at the key Burmese town of Kohima. Hear their amazing story. In a bid to topple the British Raj, 15000 Japanese troops invade India from neighboring Burma in March 1944. Their route takes them through Kohima, a sleepy village in the Himalayan foothills. If Kohima fell, the route to India would be open. In their way were just 1500 British troops, many from the West Kents, whose nickname was “the Dirty 500”. Through gripping first-hand testimony, this film shows how the West Kents hung on for two weeks despite dwindling supplies of food and water down to just half a glass a day.
This was vicious fighting, much of it hand to hand across the local British governor’s tennis court. In the end, it was the Japanese who were routed. Outnumbered by ten to one, a tiny garrison of British and Indian soldiers stood firm against the might of the Imperial Japanese Army. One of the greatest sieges of WWII, the final conflict coming down to a matter of yards between enemy trenches. India, and it’s wealth of natural resources, could have been at the mercy of the Japanese.
Narrow Escapes of World War II tells the real stories of courageous and deadly fights against impossible odds. The extraordinary stories of heroes; men who stand up and fight when everything seems lost. Those brilliant generals, ferocious warriors and individual acts of courage that can turn the tide in a war, and whose stories can still be told as shining examples of bravery and courage. This series combines eyewitness and expert testimony with specially shot material, dramatic reconstruction and archive much of it previously unseen.
Revisit some of the most daring missions of World War II as recounted by leading historians, military experts, and occasionally by the participants themselves. These 13 gripping episodes feature operations that took place all over the world—from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the steppes of southern Russia, from the foothills of the Himalayas to the frozen waters of the Baltic and the skies over Nazi-occupied France. With the benefit of original film footage, informative maps, and dramatic recreations, Narrow Escapes tells stories of valor, suffering, dedication, and determination—exploits of bravery that helped shape the outcome of the Second World War and continue to inspire today.
Narrow Escapes of World War II episode 7
The Siege of Kohima was a key battle of World War II, fought in the northeast region of India in 1944. The battle was fought between the British Indian Army and the Japanese forces, as part of the larger Burma Campaign. Kohima was a strategically important location for both sides, as it lay on the vital supply route for the British forces in Imphal. The Japanese forces launched a fierce attack on Kohima on April 4, 1944, with the aim of capturing the town and cutting off the British supply route. The British Indian Army, commanded by Major General G.G. Savy, fought valiantly to defend their position, and the ensuing battle lasted for 64 days, with heavy casualties on both sides.
The Japanese forces were eventually pushed back, and on June 22, 1944, Kohima was declared as secured by the British forces. The battle of Kohima was a turning point in the Burma Campaign and is regarded as one of the greatest battles fought in World War II. The siege of Kohima is remembered as a heroic feat of endurance and bravery by the British Indian Army. The siege saw close-quarters fighting, hand-to-hand combat, and fierce artillery exchanges. Despite being vastly outnumbered and outgunned, the British Indian Army was able to hold their ground and eventually emerge victorious.
The battle of Kohima had a significant impact on the outcome of the Burma Campaign and ultimately the outcome of World War II. The British forces were able to maintain their supply line and eventually push the Japanese forces back to their own territory. The Siege of Kohima was a key battle of World War II and a testament to the bravery and resilience of the British Indian Army. The battle serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers during the war and the importance of strategic locations in warfare.
