Battle of Central Burma | |||||||
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Part of the Burma campaign, the South-East Asian theatre of World War II and the Pacific Theater of World War II | |||||||
Sherman tanks and trucks of 63rd Motorised Brigade advancing from Nyaungyu to Meiktila, March 1945 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | (Indian National Army) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Slim | Heitarō Kimura | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,307 killed 15,888 wounded and missing[1] |
6,513 killed 6,299 wounded and missing[1] |
The concurrent Battle of Meiktila and Battle of Mandalay were decisive engagements near the end of the Burma campaign during World War II. Collectively, they are sometimes referred to as the Battle of Central Burma. Despite logistical difficulties, the Allies were able to deploy large armoured and mechanised forces in Central Burma, and also possessed air supremacy. Most of the Japanese forces in Burma were destroyed during the battles, allowing the Allies to later recapture the capital, Rangoon, and reoccupy most of the country with little organised opposition.