The Japanese invasion of Burma was the beginning phase of the Burma Campaign during World War II, which itself spanned over four years from 1942 to 1945. The invasion only lasted five months.
Background[]
In 1941, Japan entered World War II to secure resources. The invasion of Burma aimed to accomplish this and also cut the vital Burma Road, a supply route aiding Chinese forces. The 15th Army, led by General Shōjirō Iida, aimed to control northern Thailand and southern Burma, strategically weakening the region's defenses.[1]
Battle[]
On 1 January 1942, troops from the Japanese Fifteenth Army settled on the border of Burma waiting to march.[2] The Japanese forces swiftly advanced, occupying key locations and prompting an Allied retreat. The challenging jungle terrain and logistical difficulties further complicated the situation. The invasion had significant implications for the broader Pacific theater during the war.[1]
Legacy[]
In 2012, the Assassin Clay Kaczmarek included a photograph of the Japanese soldiers on Burma's border with several other images from the Second World War in one of the Glyph puzzles he designed to serve as messages for his successor Desmond Miles. That particular puzzle, which had to be solved via a Caesar cipher, suggested that Adolf Hitler was killed by Assassins while a decoy feigned his suicide in his bunker.[2] Desmond deciphered this message in September of that year.[2][3]
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed II (photo only)
