Battle of Prome (1942)

Battle of Prome
Part of the Japanese invasion of Burma, the Burma campaign, the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, the China Burma India Theater and the Pacific Theater of World War II
Date 30 March – 2 April 1942 Location Prome, Burma (present-day Pyay, Myanmar) Result Japanese victory
Belligerents
British Empire British Burma British Raj	Empire of Japan

The Battle of Prome took place during the Japanese conquest of Burma. China's Generalissimo, Chiang Kai-shek, believed "As long as the British hold Prome, we hold Toungoo." ^[1]

Background

Japan invaded Burma in December 1941. First, the city of Tavoy's airfield was bombed by the Japanese. Shortly afterward, the Japanese invaded Victoria's Point, and slowly started to build up forces. On 14 January 1942, Japanese forces advanced into Burma.

After the loss at Toungoo, the remaining allies split the land up, and each defended their own city. The British Raj and British Burma got Prome, while Chinese forces went to the nearby Shwedaung. ^{[2] [3]}

The battle

After a victory at Shwedaung, the Japanese started firing at Prome on the night of 30 March. Despite British forces inflicting significant casualties, they withdrew to Allanmyo on 2 April. ^[4]

References

1. Sunderland, Romanus, Riley, Charles F. (1953). United States Army in World War II China-Burma-India Theater: Stillwell's Mission to China. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army. p. 97. ISBN   124949687X.
2. Rothwell, Steve. "Battle for Central Burma" . Retrieved 15 April 2014.
3. Newell, Clayton R. Burma, 1942 (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. pp. 16–18. ASIN   B00CCSKG2U. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
4. Rothwell, Steve. "Battle for Central Burma" . Retrieved 15 April 2014.

18°49′N95°13′E / 18.817°N 95.217°E / 18.817; 95.217