Full Moon Madness

After the drubbing they received at Moulmein, the British made haste to cover the crossings of the Salween River in an ultimately futile attempt to forestall the Japanese advane. Meanwhile, beginning in early February, the Japanese began aggressive probes and night crossings all along the Salween River. Several …

1942-02-11

AP088

After the drubbing they received at Moulmein, the British made haste to cover the crossings of the Salween River in an ultimately futile attempt to forestall the Japanese advance. Meanwhile, beginning in early February, the Japanese began aggressive probes and night crossings all along the Salween River. Several attempted boat crossings aimed at Martaban – directly across from Moulmein – had been driven off. But the defenders were under constant artillery and aerial bombardment, and crossings upriver could not be prevented. Once the Japanese were across in strength, they began probing the British defenses along the western bank. Near the village of Kuziek, which guarded a river crossing at Pa'an, the defense consisted of a battalion of thinly-spread Indian troops.

Kuziek, 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