Slim, Master of War: Burma, 1942-5

by Robert Lyman

Overview

'Elegantly written and beautifully produced' TLS

How 'Uncle Bill' won the war in Burma

Defeated and demoralised, British units in the Far East had virtually been ejected from Burma when, in 1943, General W. J. Slim organised, trained and then deployed his famous 'forgotten' 14th Army to devastating effect, defeating the Japanese twice and liberating Burma in the process. One of the most innovative soldiers of his generation, Slim's 'smart' style of soldiering was startling in its modernity - and with it he achieved something no one believed possible.

An intelligent, compassionate commander, the unconventional Slim was also a heroic figure to the men he commanded - known affectionately to the ranks as 'Uncle Bill'. This biography tells the fascinating story of how he brought victory out of defeat; Lyman now gives him his rightful place, alongside Patton and Guderian, in the pantheon of eminent and unorthodox Second World War commanders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472125262
Publisher:	Little, Brown Book Group
Publication date:	06/02/2016
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Dr Robert Lyman is an elected fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He was an Army officer for twenty years. The primary focus of his research is the Second World War, where he has published extensively on the Pacific and Far East, North Africa and North West Europe. His PhD was on Field Marshal Bill Slim. In 2011 he won the National Army Museum's debate for 'Britain's Greatest General' on Slim and in 2013 the debate for 'Britain's Greatest Battle' on Kohima and Imphal. He lives in Berkshire, England.
Major Robert Lyman was an officer in the British Army for twenty years. He is the acclaimed author of Slim, Master of War: Burma and the Birth of Modern Warfare and First Victory: Britain's Forgotten Struggle in the Middle East, 1941. He lives in Berkshire, England.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xiii

List of Illustrations xvii

List of Maps xix

Foreword xxi

Introduction 1

1 Poisoned Chalice 7

2 Through the Shadows of Darkness 39

3 In the Wilderness at Ranchi 69

4 Architect of Victory 101

5 Army Commander 133

6 Operation U-Go 165

7 The Bloody Plain 199

8 The Masterstroke 229

Epilogue - Britain's Greatest General 263

Appendix 1 Slim's appointment to Burma Corps: March 1942 275

Appendix 2 Slim's appointment to Eastern Army: October 1943 279

Notes 283

Maps 301

Select Bibliography 319

Index 323