page_title: Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II
section_title: Burma retaken
hierarchical_section_title: Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II / The Far East / Burma Campaign / Burma retaken
caption_attribution_description: English: The original IWM caption reads, "Sherman tanks and trucks of 62nd Motorised Brigade advancing on the road between Nyaungyu on the Irrawaddy bridgehead and Meiktila, March 1945." This however is slightly incorrect, possibly as the result of deliberate wartime disinformation. No 62nd Brigade was involved at Nyaungu or Meiktila (being part of 19th Division, engaged at Mandalay); the 63rd Brigade, part of 17th Division was part of the advance on Meiktila. Français&#160;: Chars Sherman et camions de la 62ièm brigade motorisé avancant vers Nyaungyu et Irrawaddy et la tête de poont de Meiktila en mars 1945.
context_page_description: The military history of the United Kingdom in World War II covers the Second World War against the Axis powers, starting on 3 September 1939 when Britain and France, followed by most of Britain's Dominions and Crown colonies, declared war on Nazi Germany in response to the invasion of Poland by Germany. Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government in May 1940. Despite the defeat of its European allies and the British Expeditionary Force in the first year of the war leading to the Dunkirk evacuation, Britain and its Empire continued the fight alone against Germany. Churchill engaged industry, scientists and engineers to advise and support the government and the military in the prosecution of the war effort. Germany's planned invasion of the UK was averted by its failure to establish air superiority in the Battle of Britain, and by its marked inferiority in naval power. Subsequently, urban areas in Britain suffered heavy bombing during the Blitz in late 1940 and early 1941.
  By August 1941, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin Roosevelt had drafted the Atlantic Charter to define goals for the post-war world.
context_section_description: The recapture of Burma took place during late 1944 and the first half of 1945. Command of the British formations on the front was rearranged in November 1944. 11th Army Group was replaced with Allied Land Forces South East Asia and XV Corps was placed directly under ALFSEA.
  Some of the first operations to recapture Burma took place in Arakan. To gain bases for the aircraft necessary to supply Fourteenth Army in its attack through the heart of the country, two offshore islands, Akyab and Ramree, had to be captured. Akyab was virtually undefended when British forces came ashore, so it effectively provided a rehearsal of amphibious assault doctrine for the forces in theatre. However, Ramree was defended by several thousand Japanese. The clearing of the island took several days, and associated forces on the mainland longer to clear out. Following these actions, XV Corps was greatly reduced in numbers to free up transport aircraft to support Fourteenth Army.
  Fourteenth Army made the main thrust to destroy Japanese forces in Burma. The Army had IV and XXXIII Corps under its command. The plan envisaged that XXXIII Corps would reduce Mandalay  and act as a diversion for the main striking force of IV Corps, which would take Meiktila and thus cut the Japanese communications. The plan succeeded extremely well, and Japanese forces in Upper Burma were effectively reduced to scattered and unorganised pockets. Slim's men then advanced south towards the Burmese capital.
  Following the taking of Rangoon in May 1945 some Japanese forces remained in Burma, but it was effectively a large mopping up operation.
caption: Sherman tanks and trucks advancing on Meiktila, March 1945.
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