Fighting Retreat: Burma 1942

An enthralling new study of the brutal British retreat from Burma, the beginning of World War II in the Far East.

Using eyewitness accounts and based on meticulous research, World War II historian Jack Bowsher examines the pivotal Burma campaign of 1942. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded Burma in an effort to cut China off from American supplies, and chased the disoriented British and Indian forces out of the country: the longest fighting retreat by British forces in its entire history.

Fighting Retreat is a story of human drama featuring narrow escapes, heroism, near-misses, mistakes, failures, victories, tactical flair, ingenuity, and tragedy. It follows the initial Japanese invasion, the disaster at the Sittang Bridge, the parallel battles up the Sittang and Irrawaddy valleys, the fighting in central Burma, and the final retreat into India. From commanders at the top down to the lowliest foot solider, this is a compelling account of the outbreak of World War II in Burma.