Japanese invasion of Burma

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Japanese invasion of Burma
Part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II
View of the Yenangyaung oil field on 16 April 1942 after its destruction ahead of the Japanese advance
Date 14 December 1941 – 28 May 1942 (5 months, 1 week and 3 days) Location Burma Result Axis victory Territorial changes Japanese occupation of Burma Thai occupation of Shan State
Belligerents
United Kingdom  India Burma China United States (air support only)	Empire of Japan Burma Independence Army  Thailand (from 10 May)
Commanders and leaders
Archibald Wavell Thomas Hutton Harold Alexander John Smyth Luo Zhuoying	Hisaichi Terauchi Shojiro Iida Keiji Suzuki J. R. Seriroengrit
Strength
Western Claim : 95,000[1] Chinese Claim : 103,000[2] ~45,000[3]	85,000[3] ~23,000[4][5] 35,000[6]
Casualties and losses
Western Claim : 40,000 casualties[7][1][8] Chinese Claim : 56,480[2] or 61,000[9] losses (most dead during the retreat). 30,000 casualties 1,499 killed[10] 11,964 wounded[10][11][12] 116 aircraft destroyed, damaged and captured (RAF)[7] ~100 tanks destroyed, damaged or captured[13] 95 aircraft destroyed, damaged and captured (AVG)[14]	2,431 deaths from all causes[15] Unknown tanks destroyed or damaged[7] 117 aircraft destroyed and damaged[16]
More than 10,000–50,000 civilians killed

The Japanese invasion of Burma was a series of battles fought in the British colony of Burma (present-day Myanmar) as part of the Pacific Theater of World War II. The initial invasion in 1942 resulted in the capture of Rangoon and the retreat of British, Indian, and Chinese forces. From 1942 to 1945, the Allies and Japan engaged in a protracted struggle for control of the region, marked by fierce fighting in challenging terrain. The Burma campaign was strategically significant, as it was linked to the war in China and the supply routes to the Chinese Nationalists. The eventual Allied victory in 1945 played a crucial role in the overall defeat of Japan."