A War of Empires
Japan, India, Burma & Britain: 1941-45
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A War of Empires
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Narrated by:
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Roger May
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By:
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Robert Lyman
About this listen
Bloomsbury presents A War of Empires by Robert Lyman, read by Roger May.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE RUSI DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2022
'This is a superb book.' – James Holland
In 1941 and 1942 the British and Indian Armies were brutally defeated and Japan reigned supreme in its newly conquered territories throughout Asia. But change was coming. New commanders were appointed, significant training together with restructuring took place, and new tactics were developed. A War of Empires by acclaimed historian Robert Lyman expertly records these coordinated efforts and describes how a new volunteer Indian Army, rising from the ashes of defeat, would ferociously fight to turn the tide of war.
But victory did not come immediately. It wasn’t until March 1944, when the Japanese staged their famed ‘March on Delhi’, that the years of rebuilding paid off and, after bitter fighting, the Japanese were finally defeated at Kohima and Imphal. This was followed by a series of extraordinary victories culminating in Mandalay in May 1945 and the collapse of all Japanese forces in Burma. Until now, the Indian Army’s contribution has been consistently forgotten and ignored by many Western historians but Robert Lyman proves how vital this hard-fought campaign was in securing Allied victory in the east.
Detailing the defeat of Japanese militarism, he recounts how the map of the region was ultimately redrawn, guaranteeing the rise of an independent India free from the shackles of empire.
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Critic reviews
"Every so often new work emerges that dramatically changes how we view key aspects of the war, and A War of Empires does just that. Written with meticulous scholarship and from a deep and profound knowledge of the subject matter, it is full of wisdom, sound judgement and with a convincing and refreshing central thesis. Robert Lyman has unquestionably become the foremost scholar of the War in the Far East." (James Holland, best-selling author and broadcaster)
"A fine, comprehensive and much-needed reappraisal of the pivotal Burma campaign in World War II. Exhaustively researched and engagingly written, it tells this dramatic story from the perspective of all the major combatants." (Professor Saul David, historian, novelist and broadcaster)
What listeners say about A War of Empires
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JonD
- 26-09-22
Excellent
Well written, well read and fascinating. Particularly enjoyed the fact that the Indian Army has centre stage and the arguement that Indians in their millions conscientiously joined up to defeat fascism.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- TS
- 17-04-22
Excellent book
Great to finally have an accessible, complete story of the Burma campaign from start to finish.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 17-10-23
Absorbing, well written & read superbly.
I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Far East during the Second World War. It’s not an exercise in flag waving, and it’s conclusions are real food for thought.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- NJMaxton
- 01-12-22
Hugely interesting - the forgotten war
Very interesting. New, to me anyway, on the huge role of India, China and the USA in the battles for Burma. Well written, well narrated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- G Patterson
- 06-08-23
Excellent work.
I found this book to be an excellent read/listen.
The narrative was very well done and easy to follow, so far the best book I’ve heard about the war in Burma/India.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 30-01-22
Excellent military history
A military history that effortlessly combined the strategic, operational and tactical levels. Many important lessons with contemporary relevance - for those that want to learn about them. These include tactical, operational and theatre command, which the book expertly dissects. As well as how leadership brings together learning, adaptation and confidence building.
General Slim's memoir Defeat Into Victory and Rob's excellent book on Slim, but this tops them both. Particularly with its analysis of the successes and mistakes, not only of Slim, but also Japanese general Kimura, British generals Wavell, Auchinleck, Giffard, Irwin, US general Stilwell and Admiral Mountbatten.
Should be required reading at staff colleges and on professional military education reading lists. .
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Phil H.
- 01-09-23
Excellent
Excellent
Historically accurate and very detailed but also has details on real people who fought.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Matt
- 25-03-23
Good Book
This was a very good book in the Burma campaign but does drag a bit in places.
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- David
- 23-05-24
Brilliant narrative
I liked this authors view on the conflict it stands about against the other's that I have read and is very thought provoking
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- Virginia Slim
- 09-05-22
Great narrative, balanced analysis.
The story of this great multi-national defeat of Japanese militarism deserves to be more widely appreciated. I hope that this book is widely read.
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4 people found this helpful