[colorado tanker]

My perception is the same, that Burma was completely screwed up. Its only strategic value was that the Japanese could cut the land supply route to China. To the Brits, it separated them from Malaya and Singapore, which was their former HQ for the Eastern Fleet and their entire East and Southeast Asia commands.

We have seen in these posts fits and starts that never seem to get anywhere and have no clear goals.

As you say, the lack of resources is the problem that jumps out here. I also think a big part of the problem was divided counsel. Stillwell was obsessed with retaking Burma, much more so than the Brits. But he couldn't get along with anyone, the Brits, Chaing, not even his own air chief, Chennault.

Stillwell was a big supporter of opening a new land road, the Ledo Road, and claimed it would ship more supplies that the flights across the Hump. Chennault disagreed and was proved right.

In hindsight, Stillwell had an impossible task with few resources. He was never going to mold the Chinese Army into a force equal to the Japanese, nor was Chaing ever going to let him command it. The top brass had no interest in US assets being in China except to the extent it was useful as an air base.

I think the Brits were sincere that they would transfer assets to the Pacific after Hitler's defeat. The reality for them is they are tapped out, fully mobilized, and need every man for the upcoming invasion of France. They may have been in a position to open a campaign against Japan in 1946 had the A-Bombs not terminated the war "early." Still, the cynic in me says that campaign would likely have been Churchill's idea for a strike against northern Sumatra or perhaps the Malayan coast that could presumably be used as a base to retake Singapore and Malaya, with an ultimate goal of retaking Hong Kong - all British colonial possessions. To the best of my knowledge there were no British land units in the order of battle for Operations Olympic or Coronet.

[henkster]

There were no British land units tasked for Olympic or Coronet. They had the British Pacifc Fleet under Sir Bruce Fraser, which was a fairly formidable fighting force, and it was more or less used as “flank protection” for the USN at Okinawa.

The Aussies were diverted away from Japan to mop up in the NEI. Any other Empire troops were tasked for Singapore. The Brits did clear Burma by 1945, and we’ll see why in a few months.