The author of this book Jon Latimer sadly died in in 2009 at the early age of 44, however this remarkably detailed and comprehensive account of the Burma campaign of World War 2 will stand as a lasting legacy to him. In forensic detail the book first published in 2004 recounts and analyses the path to war, its conduct and legacy which is felt sadly to the present day. For various reasons this is a complex story owing to the differing objectives of the allies, (principally the British Empire, America and China) the ethnic and racial diversity of the British Empire forces (which peaked at around 1,000,000 and were primarily from British India but also included East and West African colonial troops and smaller numbers of land and air forces from several other Dominions and Colonies) and the existence on the Japanese side of the Indian National Army and The Burmese Independence Army. For many, perhaps the majority of the Burmese population this war was seen as a clash between two colonial powers and for them the overriding priority was the creation of an independent Burmese state.

Every battle and campaign is painstakingly documented with the aid of maps and the role of various key personalities is examined. This was a theatre of war that was beset by personality clashes, distrust and indeed open hostility between many of the commanders in charge of operations. Not only do we learn about the role of such figures as Slim, Wavell, Wingate and Stilwell but other less well known characters such as Ursula Graham Bower who was the only female guerrilla leader in the history of the British Army as part of "V force". The book takes a dispassionate and clinical look at the strategies and effectiveness of the various operations including the role of the Chindits for which military historians disagree on their military significance. This is certainly an anti war book for it portrays the sheer horror and brutality involved with more dying from disease, hunger and illness than from actual weaponry.

This is a long book and may take a few weeks to read but the time taken is well worth investing in for it gives you not only increased knowledge of a past period of history but an increased insight on current events. The Muslims of northern Arakan were armed by the British to fight and provide intelligence against the Japanese and also to counter balance the Buddhist Rakhine community of the area who supported them. Following the end of the war a brutal ethnic civil war raged between these two armed sides. Following independence in 1948 and the non appearance of what the loyal to the British Muslim minority believed would be the creation of a "Muslim National Area" in Burma the country has been riven by ethnic tension leading in the last few years to acts of persecution destruction and ethnic cleansing by its military. To understand the present you sometimes need to look at it from the perspective of history and this book certainly provides this portal.

This is a really well researched and informative account of what happened in Burma in the Second World War. It goes into a lot of detail and tells of events that should be known about. This is a really insightful and interesting read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I was aware of the Burma campaign mainly from the British perspective. The author, quite rightly, gives details of the many other nationalities and armies that fought in that dreadful campaign. The roles of the Chinese, Indian, Gurkhas, East / West Africans, pro and anti-Japanese Burmese, USA and other global participants are very rarely discussed in the media.

The book is astonishingly well researched with many references to the various events taking place in Burma at that time. Jon Latimer is to be congratulated in his efforts in drawing together the many stories from every side of the conflict. There must be many thousands of unrecorded stories of those involved, soldiers and civilians, which are lost forever or are yet to be found.

The allies were led by a mixed bag of senior leaders, ranging from the weak & incompetent to the bravest & most talented to be found in any army. Most Staff Officers seemed to be out of their depth, never having fought a campaign in such arduous and impenetrable terrain. The infighting between the leaders of the various nationalities on the Allies side was quite shocking and led to needless loss of life.

Conditions for the troops, on all sides, were unimaginably bad with disease, malnutrition, lack of supplies, chaotic leadership, the dense jungle and of course constant threat of death and violence.

The Japanese were exceptionally ruthless and violent to their enemies, even when wounded or taken prisoner. Unnecessary torture and executions being commonplace. However, I was surprised to learn that a large number of Burmese could also be equally sadistic to other ethnic groups. Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised at the attempted genocide of the Rohingya people.that is currently taking place.

Congratulations to the author on producing such a monumental work of Military History.

Thank you NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for the eARC.
Not knowing anything about Burma or the war there, this was an eye opener for me. So many soldiers from different countries endured labour camps, hand to hand combat and utterly impossible conditions. Those poor men! The English and Japan wanted to conquer Burma, the Burmese fought for their independence ...all in all the country was virtually destroyed in the process.
The author obviously did meticulous research, making for an easy to follow read that's ideal for anyone interested in WWII and, I think, would be a great addition to any library, whether general or school. It's as horrifying as it is fascinating and once again solidified my hatred of war, knowing full well we will never learn from experience.

Burma is a southeast Asia country bordering India, Bangladesh, Laos, China and Thailand. During WW11, it was a prize that was fought over and they almost destroyed this country and it's people. Japan wanted Burma to secure what it had won in Malaya and Singapore and to, also to cut off the supply line of the Chinese. Britain wanted it under British rule. It was a hard fought war sending the British 900 miles in defeat. This book is a comprehensive guide to this part of the war that some have forgotten about. For all WW11 history buffs and those who love history in gemeral. It's a great book that I highly recommend, The author has written a book that you won't want to put down. I received this book from Net Galley and Thistle Publishing for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

I would to thank both NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Burma’ in exchange for my honest unbiased review.
As a person who loves history all I can say is WOW! This book is well researched and well written.
I had heard a little about Burma but not a great deal. However it is certainly has a very important place with history.

I feel it needs to be discussed and learnt about within educational level also.

I enjoyed the book primarily because the author let the men/women/tribes on the ground tell the story. SO MANY times our English friends get caught up in the politics of battle but not so here. Great work about great people who did truly great things; EVEN GETTING SHOT IN THE BUTT!!!

Burma by Jon Latimer, Thank You Net Gallery and Thistle Publishing for this copy.

In the title it mentions The Forgotten War, to me this is correct because I never heard of it until this book.

We follow brave men as they fight to the front lines to end the war. I found some parts laugh out loud even though in the face of death, like the guy who kept getting shot in the butt. There is a lot of blood and gore what you would expect due to the title. This book shows about 600 pages but it's really about 360 give or take. In the end of the book there are footnotes, the numbers constantly in the book is a little annoying, but easy to get through, All in all it's an important book and perfect for war buffs.

Thank you for the book for my review, I hope it helps.

Burma gives a synopsis of a little known part of the conflict in Southeast Asia during World War II. It attempts to integrate Burma within the full context of Japanese and surrounding countries during that time. While the information is sound and interesting the format is a little bewildering. I found myself not following the story because the author seemingly has taken paragraphs and jumbled them before putting the on paper. Good but could be much better with stronger editing.

Burma: the Forgotten War seems to be an attempt to capture all the nuances of a WWII campaign that is so multifaceted as to almost defy coverage. Latimer has obviously done copious research as there are extensive footnotes accompanying the chapters. In some cases these are actually off-putting as they interrupt the reading. The work seemed to have the style more of an academic treatise and it was actually dull at points. For a scholar highly interested in the Burma theater it would be a great resource. They would enjoy learning more about the various battles from Kohima to Imphal and how commanders on both sides reacted. There were a number of maps showing the war’s progress and battle lines from 1941/42 to 1944/45. How Indian troops as part of the British Empire were involved gives an insight into current Assam province issues. The book is quite long but in the PDF version I was reviewing, I’m not sure of the exact page count –but it seems about three times the length of a typical 300 page novel. The book was not an enjoyable or easy read but it did provide enlightenment on this aspect of World War II. The audience who would enjoy it most would be specialized in battle history of the place or scholar seeking to understand the nuances.

Wow! The author did an amazing job of educating the reader on a little known war, but important part of history. Well researched and written.

This is a big book with many, many references on the fighting in Burma during WWII. It covers the background, the initial defeats, the slow turning of the tide and the final victories. The focus is on the military campaigns especially those of the English and American forces.
I have read books on Mountbatten and Stiwell that provide more focus on the politics and the relationships with the cunning Chiang Kai-shek, as well as better covering the role of the Chinese forces. When you read about the dynamics and egos of the war time leaders you wonder how the Allies ever won.
Latimer's book is a detailed and meticulous researched record of the Burma campaign which should provide any student of WWII with plenty to mill over.