Empire's Fall

Moulmein – the third largest city in Burma with nearly 100,000 residents and long loyal to the Crown – clings to the eastern bank of the mouth of the Salween River. Its all-weather airfield, and position astride an important transportation route as well as being the guardian of the …

1942-01-31

AP087

Moulmein – the third largest city in Burma with nearly 100,000 residents and long loyal to the Crown – clings to the eastern bank of the mouth of the Salween River. Its all-weather airfield, and position astride an important transportation route as well as being the guardian of the eastern approaches to the Sittang Bridge, made it an imperative objective for any would-be invader. Japanese Army planners knew this and made Moulmein’s capture the primary objective before striking for the Sittang Bridge and on to Rangoon. British planners were hampered by its nearly indefensible position. With little to no river gunboat presence, and no reliable river transportation available, holding the eastern bank would be very costly. The decision was made to hold Moulmein with colonial troops and provincial police forces in order to slow down the invader – hopefully long enough for the defenses around Sittang Bridge to gel.

Moulmein, Burma

The Burma campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. During the first year of the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army with aid from Burmese insurgents had driven British forces and Chinese forces out of Burma, and occupied most of the country. From May to December 1942, most active campaigning ceased as the monsoon rains made tactical movement almost impossible in the forested and mountainous border between India and Burma, and both the Allies and Japanese faced severe logistical constraints. When the rains ceased, the Allies launched two offensives. One, an attack in the coastal Arakan Province, failed, with severe effects on Allied morale. This was restored partly by improvements to administration and training, and partly by the much-publicised results of a raid by troops under Brigadier Orde Wingate. This raid may also have goaded Japanese commanders into launching major offensives the following year, which failed disastrously.

Japanese

British

Scenario Type = Standard