As the last rays of the setting sun faded away and darkness enveloped the sleepy Kohima Village, gun fire and a hail of bullets supported by artillery and mortar fire broke the silence and peace of the night. The Japanese units had commenced their onslaught of the Kohima ridge. More than seventy years ago, it was the night of 4th April 1944 when the first of the advancing Japanese forces announced their arrival at Kohima. Thousands perished from both the opposing forces as the Battle raged on till the end of June 1944.
As we enter the month of April, our thoughts may go out to the sacrifices made by the brave defenders of Kohima against the Japanese offensive. A small band of men barely in their twenties and the local populace stood against the mighty Japanese. The Japanese forces ultimately suffered their greatest defeat of the Second World war at the hands of these tiny bunch of determined men who were bent on holding on to their posts, come what may and until their very last breath.
Historians have called Battle of Kohima “one of the bitterly fought battles of the Second World War” and a “battle of Attrition” involving “fierce hand-to-hand combat”. The reasons are many. The most savage battle ever fought lasted for three months. The conflict in around the areas of Kohima and Imphal cost about 20,000 of the 100,000 Japanese who had come to invade India and the allies has been 17,857 British, Indian and local population killed, wounded and missing.
The Japanese units with their numerical superiority and combat prowess had the ulterior objective to control the Air base and Rail head at Dimapur to further make inroads to the mainland. Unlike Imphal, Kohima’s strategic importance was entirely favored by the Japanese for the capture of Dimapur would give the Japanese the best route from Burma into India. Arthur Swinson, in his words, “Their information and choice of routes was vital and their work, must rank as one of the most brilliant feats of reconnaissance in the history of war”. More than any other land Battle the last stop at Kohima for the Japanese War machine may be considered a true test of their invincibility.
While Dimapur was their main objective The Japanese were stopped in their tracks at Kohima and ultimately retreated to Burma. If the Japanese captured Dimapur, it could have turned the tide of the Second World War in favour of the Japanese. The Japanese lost their men in thousands, while the remaining survivors retreated demoralized, diseased and starving. As per estimates most of the Japanese death of almost 53000 personnel in and around Kohima and Imphal areas occurred due to starvation and disease. Almost 4000 personnel of the Indian, British and local population also died in the conflict. The dreams of the Japanese Imperialist forces of overrunning the small garrison at the Kohima ridge and comfortably rolling down to the plains of Dimapur became their ultimate nightmare. The Japanese defeat at Kohima eventually turned the tide of the Second World War in the far East eventually leading to their surrender in 1945. Many historians place the Battle of Kohima above the battles of El Elamein, Stalingrad and Midway.
The Battle of Imphal/Kohima, when British troops fighting in horrendous jungle conditions turned the tide against the Japanese army in World War II, has been chosen as Britain’s greatest battle. Kohima was picked over the more celebrated battles of D-Day and Waterloo in a contest organised by the British National Army Museum. “Great things were at stake in a war with the toughest enemy any British army has had to fight,” historian Robert Lyman said, making the case for Kohima in a debate at the museum. The contest’s criteria included a battle’s political and historical impact, the challenges the troops faced, and the strategy and tactics employed.
The winner was something of a surprise given the enduring prominence of Waterloo and D-Day/Normandy in Britain. Indeed, the troops who fought in India and Burma in World War II called themselves “The Forgotten Army”. He ranked it with Midway, El Alamein and Stalingrad as the main turning point battles of World War II.
Whether friend or foe, let us put our thoughts together for all who have fallen in the line of duty and pray for their souls and may peace prevail forever in this beautiful land. The Kohima Cathedral mostly supported by funding from Japan silently conveys the message of peace and brotherhood. As a mark of respect, for their contribution and as tribute to the remaining survivors in Nagaland the State Government of Nagaland and the Directorate of the Sainik Welfare and Resettlement have considerably raised the pensions of the last surviving Battle of Kohima veterans.
The Battle of Kohima may have ended, the cemetery erected, but the scars still remained. Kohima since then has become a place for pilgrimage and reconciliation for peace for all irrespective of caste, colour or creed. The memorial at Kohima in memory of the fallen :
“When you go home, tell them of us, and say: ‘For your tomorrow, we gave our today.’
Rajeev Dong
Wing Commander Retd
Deputy Director
Directorate of Sainik Welfare & Resettlement
(Home Department) Govt of Nagaland
Above Alder College
HS Road, PO Kohima – 797 001 (Nagaland)
Mob 8258 – 023 – 928
LL 0370 – 2260150 FAX 0370 – 2260150
Email : rajeevdong@yahoo.com
Website : nagaland.nic.in
