Springboard to Victory

Book excerpt: A clear and compelling account of the brutal battle of Kohima that swung the balance of the Burma Campaign in World War Two. An ideal book for readers of Max Hastings, Anthony Beevor and Jonathan Dimbleby. 'Sieges have been longer but few have been more intense and in none have the defenders deserved greater honour than the garrison of Kohima.' Field Marshal the Viscount Slim 'The valiant defence of Kohima against enormous odds was a fine episode.' Winston Churchill For a fortnight in April 1944 Lieutenant-General Sato threw nearly the whole force of his division towards the Kohima Ridge. Against them stood a tiny force of one thousand five hundred British and Indian troops. How were these Allied forces able to hold back the attack from over ten thousand Japanese soldiers? And what happened over the course of these long and bloody weeks? C. E. Lucas Phillip's book uncovers not only the personal experiences of the men who fought in this battle but also the political, geographical and military position of the Burma campaign, leading up to and following the siege. 'A beau geste story of staggering courage and fortitude - of a scratch force facing and defeating a whole Japanese division in a battle for a narrow strip of mountainous ground barely a mile long. When the Siege of Kohima was raised the gaunt and ragged garrison of 1,500 had suffered 600 casualties... a vivid, thrilling account of a battle that was truly a springboard to victory.' Yorkshire Post 'C. E. Lucas Phillips has a thrilling story to tell, and no one could fail to respond to it.' Punch 'A lucid, exciting account, blow-by-blow, agony by agony; illuminated by shining courage.' Irish Times Springboard to Victory: The Burma Campaign and the Battle for Kohima is a thorough study of one of the most brutal conflicts of the Burma campaign during World War Two. It should be essential reading for anyone interested in history of the war in the Pacific.