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The Forgotten War Podcast: Burma Campaign WW2
4. First Victory: The Battle of the Admin Box
Season 1, Ep. 4
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This week Jack and Rob finally have some good news! The first major victory by Fourteenth Army against the Japanese in Burma - the Second Arakan offensive and most famously the Battle of the Admin Box, in February 1944. The Japanese intended to distract Slim by attacking Arakan just before the invasion of India, but fell upon newly retrained troops determined to fight it out rather than retreat.
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24. 24. Witnesses to Tragedy: Tanks at Donkbaik
01:03:39||Season 3, Ep. 24This week Jack and Rob are back to some eyewitness accounts - this time the Valentines Tank Massacre on 1 February 1943 at Donbaik. This is a fascinating one as the accounts are all from the after action report found in the 146 Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps' war diary - held in The National Archives, Kew, ref. W)172/2261.
23. 23. A US Marvel - The Ledo Road
01:01:21||Season 3, Ep. 23Jack and Rob get into the detail of the Ledo Road - later called the Stilwell Road - one of the greatest engineering marvels in history, undertaken by the USA to support China.
22. 22. The Hump Airlift
01:12:41||Season 3, Ep. 22Jack and Rob are joined by Caroline Alexander, author of Skies of Thunder, all about the Hump Airlift.
21. 21. Phoenix from the Ashes pt2 - Retraining the Indian Army
01:15:54||Season 3, Ep. 21This week Jack and Rob welcome Dr Alan Jeffreys, author and curator at the National Army Museum, about the retraining of the Indian Army from 1943.
20. 20. Phoenix from the Ashes pt 1 – rebuilding the Indian Army
01:27:33||Season 3, Ep. 20This week Jack and Rob get right into the details of the second half of 1943, where the ashes of the 1942 retreat and 1943's First Arakan debacle were turned into a phoenix that would go on to victory in 1944/45.
19. 19. First Arakan Campaign - Debacle
01:09:11||Season 3, Ep. 19In the final episode of our First Arakan mini series, Jack and Rob finally get to its awful end. Irwin continues his poor behaviour, and his men pay the price.Note there were some sound issues at Jack's - apologies, dear listeners.
18. 18. First Arakan Campaign - Stalemate
43:55||Season 3, Ep. 18In the second of three episodes on the First Arakan Campaign, Jack and Rob continue the series of tragic disasters, under enemy-of-the-show Noel Irwin.
17. 17. First Arakan Campaign - Donbaik
58:40||Season 3, Ep. 17This week, in the first of a three part mini-series, Jack and Rob begin the to look at one of the most important events of the Burma Campaign - and one of the most depressing. The First Arakan Campaign, and the events at Donbaik.
16. 16. Ursula Graham Bower's war
56:14||Season 3, Ep. 16In part 2 of Jack and Rob's interview with Catriona Child we look at Ursula Graham Bower's war. Listeners should not that there was a technical problem while recording these two episodes, where part 1 was re-recorded - there are one or two small points that are repeated. Apologies.